Election 2022: Solomon’s Entrance Into Providence Mayoral Race Changes Everything
Thursday, June 10, 2021
Hit the reset button.
Former City Council President Michael Solomon is jumping into the 2022 Providence Mayor’s race.
In 2014, Solomon nearly defeated Jorge Elorza in the Democratic primary.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTElorza only edged Solomon 48.7% to 43.5%.
Now, eight years later Solomon does not need to win 50% of the vote in a race that has already attracted Brett Smiley, Gonzalo Cuervo, and Nirva LaFortune.
The victor could win the Democratic primary with 30% to 35% of the vote.
Solomon may have a better base of voters than anyone in the race. He received more than 9,700 votes in 2014.
In contrast, none of the other candidates have run citywide previously — Smiley also ran for mayor in 2014, but quit the race weeks before the primary and denies he cut a deal with Elorza that saw Smiley endorse Elorza and in exchange, Elorza name Smiley chief operating officer in the Elorza administration. Elorza also paid Smiley’s consulting business more than $100,000 for political consulting.
Providence is a city of wards and fiefdoms. Think of Game of Thrones with potholes.
While the other candidates can talk about their bases, Solomon beat Elorza in precincts that included Mount Pleasant High School, Kennedy School, and Veazie Street School but perhaps most surprising was Solomon demonstrated strong support in minority wards.
Solomon beat Elorza at Hartford Park High Rise, the Washington Park Community Center — and so on and so on.
Now, the math for the primary gets more complicated for Cuervo, LaFortune, and Smiley. Nearly every ward and every voting precinct is competitive.
As an example, LaFortune and Smiley could dominate - but split - the three vote-rich East Side wards - 1, 2, and 3. LaFortune represents Ward 3 on the City Council and she will contest every inch of the overwhelmingly progressive East Side.
Solomon's entry into the race changes everything.
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