RI GOP Official Talan Endorses Elorza for Mayor; Harrop Responds
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Dave Talan, Corresponding Secretary for the RI GOP, has endorsed Democratic candidate Jorge Elorza for Mayor.
Talan publicly endorsed Indepenedent candidate Lorne Adrain in August.
The literature endorsing Elorza was placed in the RI GOP Headquarters was removed after a complaint from Republican candidate Dr. Dan Harrop.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTYesterday RI GOP Executive Director Robert Paquin welcomed back the literature which endorsed Elorza.
In a Facebook post, Paquin wrote, "Dave Talan - please feel free to put any campaign literature you would like in our office. Your decades of commitment to good government, electing good people, and tireless work ethic is without rival.”
Harrop responded: “While I regret this endorsement and the public support of Mr. Elorza coming from Republicans both inside and outside Providence, including the state party, I certainly can understand and empathize with it. This is a very difficult election for many people. The return of Mr. Cianci to City Hall would be an unmitigated disaster. His long history of criminal behavior, from the rape accusation while in law school to his imprisonment, as well as his financial incompetence, would finish off the city financially and culturally."
“I recognize many of my fellow Republicans and supporters are troubled about voting for the progressive Democratic agenda of Mr. Elorza, despite him being an honorable and just man. They will never vote for Mr. Cianci. Many are pessimistic that my election effort will succeed, including, frankly, me. I acknowledge that there has been a slow drift of Republicans over to supporting Mr. Elorza, as the “best viable alternative” in the Providence mayoral election, and so understand Mr. Talan’s endorsement and Mr. Paquin’s accepting Elorza literature into RI GOP Headquarters. Mr. Elorza's campaign is picking up bipartisan support," Harrop continued.
Harrop said, "I want to again make it clear that my donation to Mr. Elorza was only to help him get his message out and continue the respectful debate the two of us have had over Providence’s future. I have not had even one donor to my campaign complain of this action and ask for their money back. I have not endorsed Mr. Elorza. I am not withdrawing from this race. The Republican Party of Providence has a clear message that I will continue to put forward until election day."
Editor's Note: The article originally stated Talan endorsed Elorza in August.
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