RI GOP’s Leading Latino Speaks Out on Trump and the Future of the Party in RI

Name: Go Local Prov
Price range: $

Thursday, August 17, 2017

GoLocalProv Political Team

In a sweeping interview Luis Vargas, the leading Latino Republican in Rhode Island, harshly criticized President Donald Trump for his position on white supremacists, Nazis, and the KKK and what the GOP needs to do to win in RI.

Vargas almost pulled off the ultimate upset in 2016 when he nearly upset sitting Representative Joe Almeida in Providence. He ran as an Independent.

More recently, Vargas has been helping Mike Smith in his race for the now vacant Senate seat in Newport/Jamestown — District 13 and he just began law school at Roger Williams University.

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

For Rhode Island Republicans to win in the future, the party will need to develop candidates and messages that reach a broader group of Rhode Islanders. From 1984 to 2010, the governor's office in Rhode Island was held by Republicans except for four-years (Democrat Bruce Sundlun 1991 to 1995).

On Trump

Vargas said, “No, there were not good people protesting in Charlottesville. There were neo-nazis, white nationalists... A domestic terrorist who ran his car into a crowd of protesters. The President’s comments were embarrassing, unpresidential, but I can not honestly say that they were surprising. There is a pattern of ridiculous statements coming from this President, and it is very troubling.”

Vargas has been one of the only Rhode Island Republicans to take on Trump’s comments.

“If I could speak with the President I would say this: You were elected to do a job. Do that job, do it with respect, do it with civility, and do it with class. Instead of whining and arguing with your detractors, focus on putting people back to work and strengthening families,” said Vargas.

“Golf less, tweet less, and listen to the advice of those around you, who I am sure are tired of watching you damage the party and country’s reputation,” he added.

Brandon Bell with Steve Frias on Election Night, 2016

GOP Chair’s Refusal to Speak Out

While GOP Chair has refused to comment on Trump’s comments about Charlottesville, Vargas urged Bell and other leading Republicans to speak out. “There can be no lukewarm statements. There is no good neo-nazi and there is no good white nationalist - they are antithetical to what so many Americans fought and gave their lives for.”

"Brandon Bell has been nothing but welcoming to me and to my initiatives for outreach - he genuinely wants to see the party grow across demographics and to help lift up the average Rhode Islander," said Vargas.

Future of the GOP

Presently, the GOP fails to hold one statewide elected office nor any of the four congressional seats. Democrats hold the top nine offices.

“The RIGOP needs to get the message out that this is not the party of Trump. The RIGOP is so much more than one person, and it needs to focus on good government, training hardworking candidates who serve their community, and on not simply ringing the bell when Governor Raimondo makes a mistake each week (and there are several),” said Vargas. “The RIGOP needs to make an earnest effort to distance itself from divisive rhetoric, to invest more in candidates and to speak out on every issue for what is right and good.”

Defending Bell

Over the past few days, GOP Chair Bell has refused to answer questions about Trump’s comments and the 2016 election season was a disappointment for the RI GOP.

“I don’t think Brandon Bell is out of step with Rhode Islanders. He is a great spokesperson for the RIGOP who has echoed the sentiment of working Rhode Island taxpayers for years on good government, public corruption, and economic issues. He inherited a dysfunctional party and it has not gotten much better, but I don’t doubt that most Rhode Islanders agree with the message the RIGOP is espousing,” said Vargas.