Russell Moore: Two Eras Collide in Mayoral Race
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Peel back the onion ever so slightly and it's apparent that the race for Mayor of Providence is a battle for power between two cliques that have dominated the City of Providence for decades. The reality is a stark contrast to how the media has portrayed the race--making it seem like a race between a new face vs. an old school politician.
On one side there's Democratic nominee Jorge Elorza, a Roger Williams University Law Professor who was appointed a Providence Housing Court Judge under former Providence Mayor, and current US Congressman David Cicilline. On the other, former Mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci. It might be easy, given Elorza's youth, that he's represents a new day, or a new face for Providence. But that's not entirely true.
"Once Jorge Elorza became a judge, he became a political creature. He's not a new face," said state representative John Lombardi, who represents Federal Hill in the state's legislature, referencing the fact that Cicilline appointed him a Housing Judge. "In order to be considered for a judge, do you think you have to be politically connected?"
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTFor the time being, Lombardi remains neutral in the race for Providence Mayor. But Lombardi cautioned voters against being naive, saying that everyone running for Mayor this year is politically connected and that he had trouble seeing much of a change in the way the city was run when Cicilline took over in 2002. (Lombardi, himself a candidate for mayor in 2010, was city council president back then.)
Speaking of politically savvy, in case anyone hasn't heard, Cianci and his supporters have their sights once again set on Providence City Hall. Cianci presided over the city's "Renaissance" in the 90s, which saw the city literally move rivers, construct the Providence Place Mall, reinvigorate the city's arts culture, and open a Convention Center.
Depending on who you ask, Cianci is either iconic, given those accomplishments, or notorious given his conviction on a federal conspiracy charge for not knowing about corruption in his administration.
Republican Dan Harrop is also running, but is struggling to get past single digits in the polls. His effect in the race, if any, will be spoiler, but it isn't clear for whom.
Call it like it is: Elorza represents the group that's been running the city since Cianci left office. Surely, to say Elorza is supported by Cicilline and his successor, current Mayor Angel Taveras, is an understatement. Elorza is very much a part of the clique that has run the city since Cicilline took over and then handed the reins to Taveras in 2010.
Elorza's campaign manager from day one has been Marisa O'Gara, who previously served as a high level staffer in Angel Taveras's administration. Myrth York, who is popular on the East Side who served as Taveras's campaign chairman when he ran in 2010, and is a Cicilline supporter, is one of his a prominent backers. Elorza's press secretary is David Ortiz, previously worked as Taveras' press secretary and communication director.
In addition to paid staff, several Taveras employees have been seen canvassing for Elorza on a volunteer basis, including Peter Asen, who works for the City of Providence's as its Director of Healthy Communities, and Sheila Dormody, who heads up the city's office of Sustainability.
Those are just a few examples, but make no mistake about it, the current regime doesn't want to see anyone but Elorza win the race.
Meanwhile, for his part, Cianci has surrounded himself with mostly long-time aides and supporters. Long time Cianci confidante and supporter Charles Mansolillo remains one of his closest advisers. Cyd McKenna, who worked for Cianci in his previous administration, is his campaign advisor. Dee Dee Whitman, an East Sider who has supported Cianci for years, is his finance chairwoman.
It's the regime from 20 years ago trying to make a comeback against the regime from 10 years ago. Almost poetically, even Elorza's proposal to bring high speed broadband internet citywide sounds like something that would have been more fitting or 2004 than 2014 considering Rhode Island actually has some of the best internet access in the country.
This represents a big problem for Elorza. A recent channel 12 poll confirmed what's been heard anecdotally for years--residents are not happy with the current direction of the City of Providence. Just over 35 percent of voters polled in a recent Providence Journal/Channel 12 poll said they believed the city is moving in the right direction. Cianci is running a campaign as if he's a challenger to an incumbent, and it's working brilliantly.
While Elorza's close association with the current regime has undoubtedly benefited him with respect to organization, it's also hurt him in other areas. For instance, just this weekend a Providence Police officer who was recently inducted to the force was implicated in stealing cell phones from a party. Elorza has been mum on the situation.
It doesn't take a political science professor from Harvard to see why. About a week prior, Taveras wrote an Op/Ed piece for The Providence Journal, bragging about how the police department has been reformed since Cianci's been gone. If Elorza speaks on this issue, he'll risk being off message.
Situations like that have allowed Cianci to present himself as the challenger in the race while painting Elorza as the incumbent. To what extent Cianci deserve credit for the prosperity of the nineties and Cicilline and Taveras deserve blame for the pain of the last 6 years is a question for voters to decide.
Elorza's huge advantage is that a huge chunk of voters simply refuse to vote for a candidate convicted of what many believe accounted to public corruption.
The consensus, according to a high level statewide Democratic source, is that the race will come down to the African American vote and the South Side. The candidate who prevails among those two subgroups will likely control the city over the next four years.
Regardless of who it is, the new boss will not really be new.
A native Rhode Islander, Russell J. Moore is a graduate of Providence College and St. Raphael Academy. He worked as a news reporter for 7 years (2004-2010), 5 of which with The Warwick Beacon, focusing on government. He continues to keep a close eye on the inner workings of Rhode Islands state and local governments. Find Russell J. Moore Twitter @russmoore713.
