Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in RI Politics?

Friday, July 02, 2010

by Matthew Jerzyk

Read Side of the Rhode - Who's Hot and Who's Not in RI Politics - every Friday only at GoLocalProv.com!

WHO'S HOT

Rep. Joe Trillo, Rep. Stephen Ucci, Rep. Karen MacBeth, Rep. Doc Corvese, Sen. Paul Jabour, Sen. Louis DiPalma, Sen. Marc Cote, Sen. Michael McCaffrey, Sen. Erin Lynch, Sen. Dennis Algiere  -> This special group of ten are the only members of the 113-member General Assembly who have no opponents in either the Primary or the General Election.  For these ten, there are a couple of options: hit the beach and take the summer off or play kingmaker in other districts.

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Steve Archambault  -> For an outsider candidate, Steve Archambault is picking up support in some surprising places-- winning endorsements that one would have thought much more likely to go the establishment candidate, long-time State Representative and former House Majority Whip Peter Kilmartin. Archambault won the endorsement of the Association of Democratic City and Town Chairs, picking up the votes of nearly 3-out-of-4 chairs who cast ballots & the endorsements of the Exeter, Foster, Johnston, North Providence, Smithfield and Westerly Democratic Committees -- as well as Local 51 of the Plumbers and Pipefitters Union.

RI Republican Party  -> In reviewing the House and Senate candidates, the Republican Party have a record number of candidates set to seek seats in the General Assembly.  A grand total of 88 Republicans have the chance of making the ballot in November if they return the requisite number of signatures.  Time will tell if this record number of GOP contenders will dilute their strength or pack a Scott Brown punch in November.

Frank Caprio  -> Another impressive week for the newly minted endorsed Democrat in the Governor's race.  Not only did he win an endorsement that insiders had pegged as Patrick Lynch's to lose just months ago, but he doubled Linc Chafee's second quarter fundraising take with over $300k brought in.

Bristol 4th of July Parade  -> Hot.  It will literally be really, really hot.  Bring your H2O!

Gina Raimondo  -> Very few first-time candidates in the RI Democratic Party win the Democratic nomination to a general office with NO primary.  Credit Raimondo's strong personal narrative, big fundraising numbers, impeccable credentials and a magnetic charisma for accomplishing the impossible.

Ralph Mollis  -> Mollis had a great week as the Secretary of State as a record number of people turned out to run for office.  He informed Rhode Islanders about this week's declaration of candidacy period, encouraged people to run, created an on-line guidebook that walked candidates through the process, posted the declaration of candidacy forms, posted daily updates as declarations were filed and got the final list of candidates into the hands of the public just two hours after the 4 p.m. filing deadline.

WHO'S NOT

Bill Lynch  -> A disappointing performance at the Democratic Party convention compounded by a surprisingly small number of votes in support of his candidacy has people wondering what the gameplan is for the former Democratic Party chairman in his bid to replace Congressman Patrick Kennedy.

Steven Costantino  -> One of the the more incredulous claims of this campaign season came from the mouth of the House Finance chairman seeking to become the Mayor of Providence.  He lambasted the current Mayor for trying to sell a city budget with a $50 million deficit and a series of one time fixes.  Did he forget that he just authored a state budget with a $100 million hole that assumed a $100 million check from the feds which was clearly not coming then and  certainly not coming now?  Or how his budgets constantly relied on one-time fixes like tobacco money and stimulus funds?  Steven, those in glass houses shouldn't, you know.

John Loughlin  -> Loughlin seemingly made a strategic blunder in attacking 1 of his 4 Democratic opponents, David Cicilline.  Loughlin urged a continuation of the Afghan war while Cicilline called for its closure.  Loughlin seems to have forgotten that Scott Brown was able to win by hanging in the shadows while the Democrats beat themselves up.  Now, Loughlin is inviting all 4 Democrats to gang up on him.

OB-GYN Associates, Bayside OB-GYN and the Center for Obstetrics & Gynecology  -> Troubling allegations were made in a recently filed class action suit against these three Rhode Island medical groups for allegedly implanting unapproved birth-control devices in hundreds of women.

William Pierce  -> This former Clinton staffer and board member of the Young Democrats rallied Democrats to his cause in 2008 in his campaign against Republican Joe Trillo.  The only problem was that he failed to get 50 signatures and to get his name on the ballot.  Now, he's the Moderate Party candidate in another district in Warwick.

Moderate Party of RI  -> Speaking of the Mods, for all of the fanfare they created, the number of Assembly candidates they produced in their first major election was paltry at best.  The best way to create a party is with strong local candidates.  They didn't produce many.

Email me at mjerzyk at gmail dot com with your hot/not ideas.

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