Endorsements in RI Attorney General’s Race Announced

Endorsements in RI Attorney General’s Race Announced

Organizations are announcing their endorsement for candidates for the Rhode Island attorney general’s race.

Two groups made their picks known this week.

On Tuesday, the Rhode Island Troopers Association (RITA), the organization representing all active sworn Non-Commissioned Officers and Troopers of the Rhode Island State Police, announced its endorsement of State Representative Joseph J. Solomon, Jr. for Attorney General.

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“Joe Solomon doesn’t just talk about public safety—he’s lived it,” said Ernest Adams, President of the Rhode Island Troopers Association and a Detective Sergeant with the Rhode Island State Police. “As a bail commissioner, he’s worked closely with our troopers, making the tough calls on who stays locked up and who goes home. Through this experience, Joe sees and understands what troopers deal with every day and the true impact our troopers make. In an effort to enhance public safety in Rhode Island, Joe supports his troopers and their continued efforts to re-open the State Police Portsmouth Barracks, which was shuttered in 2012, reestablishing the important presence of troopers for all Rhode Islanders on Aquidneck Island.  Joe supports his troopers by co-sponsoring legislation that will strengthen our ability to recruit premier academy candidates and retain our best seasoned troopers.  Joe supports his troopers and police officers across Rhode Island and knows that public safety and quality of life go hand-in-hand.  Rhode Island needs an Attorney General who backs law enforcement and keeps dangerous criminals off our streets. Joe Solomon is that candidate.”

“I’m honored to have the support of the men and women of the Rhode Island State Police,” said Solomon. “These troopers put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities. As Attorney General, I will be their partner—giving law enforcement the tools and support they need to keep Rhode Island families safe, and making sure violent criminals and repeat offenders face real consequences.”

 

On Wednesday, the United Nurses and Allied Professionals (UNAP), Rhode Island's largest health care workers' union, representing more than 5,500 Rhode Island members, has endorsed Kim Ahern for Rhode Island Attorney General.  

“The UNAP has worked very closely with the Rhode Island Attorney General’s office for years – especially the last few years as our health care system, hospitals, and health care workers have faced immense challenges,” stated UNAP President Lynn Blais. “We need someone leading this office who is smart, competent, energetic, and willing to boldly tackle the many challenges facing our health care system. Kim Ahern is that candidate and that’s why we have endorsed her in the Democratic Primary for Attorney General.” 

Blais continued, “The Attorney General’s office plays an important role in many critical health care issues that impact our members. With Prospect CharterCARE going into bankruptcy, we worked closely with the Attorney General to ensure that Fatima Hospital and Roger Williams Medical Center continued operations, our members kept their jobs, and patients didn’t lose these important community hospitals. We are facing other issues as well – a major nursing shortage, short staffing, hospital funding and lagging Medicaid reimbursement rates, mental health and developmental disability funding, mandatory overtime, workplace violence, and the overtaking of local hospitals by for-profit entities that are more concerned about their bottom line than they are about treating workers fairly and providing quality health care. Kim has a deep understanding of these issues, and we trust that she will use the office to protect our health care system, our hospitals, our nurses and health professionals, and the patients who rely on them. We are excited to support her in the Democratic Primary Special Election this September.”

"I am truly honored to be endorsed by UNAP and to stand side-by-side in this election with Rhode Island's nurses, technologists, therapists, support staff, and other health care workers," said Kim Ahern. "Our state is facing a health care crisis, and we have a responsibility to protect the people and institutions who care for our community. I’m proud to have the support of the hardworking women and men of UNAP, and as Rhode Island’s next Attorney General, I will carry their trust forward in this critical fight for our health care system."

Both Solomon and Ahern are Democrats, and the primary is on the second Tuesday in September.