This article in Wednesday’s Providence Journal is largely accurate, except for an assertion that a ‘slight majority of elected officials’ voted against meeting on the 19th. 3 current officials (Bob Watson, Joe Trillo, and Joe Almond) and 1 former official (Carol Mumford) voted in favor of having the January 19th meeting, 2 were opposed (Mayors Avedesian and Fung) to having a meeting on the 19th. 4 were in favor, 2 were opposed. Last time I checked, 4 was greater than 2.
The confusion may have been caused in part by House Republican Leader Watson’s John Kerry-esque vote in favor of having a meeting on the 19th, but telegraphing that he would likely vote against the bylaws change if it comes up for a final vote before the whole committee at a later date (we’ll take what we can get).
Anyway, it was a good night: 26 in favor, 10 opposed, 2 abstentions.
Congrats to Ray McKay for once again getting his name in print.
R.I. Republicans debate primary open only to registered members
WARWICK –– By a vote of 26 to 10, members of the state Republican Party’s executive committee urged state chairman Giovanni Cicione Tuesday to call a meeting of its state Central Committee on Jan. 19 to take up a request that all future Republican primaries be open only to registered Republicans.
But whether the vote represented any real victory for change proponents is yet to be seen. Cicione, in a telephone interview after the meeting, said that the final decision as to when to have a meeting is his alone and, right now, he is not inclined to call one.
“The fact is that the governor strongly objects to even considering this change, and the majority of elected officials are with the governor on this,” said Cicione. “And so am I.”…
The bylaw change proposed by executive committee members such as Raymond McKay would make the process more difficult for unaffiliated voters by requiring that they register as Republicans at least 90 days prior to the primary.
McKay, who was a supporter of former Cranston Mayor Steve Laffey’s primary campaign against then-Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee in 2006, said that the change would prevent the kind of thing he believes occurred then. He said some voters who planned to vote for the Democrat in the general election voted in the Republican primary to support Chafee and knock Laffey out of the race….
Read More: The Providence Journal
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