We’re going to be running a record number of candidates, but we aren’t done yet!
THE DEADLINE TO FILE IS 4:00 P.M. WEDNESDAY
In response to our E-Mail appeal on Sunday, we have picked up GOP candidates in 9 of the 30 Legislative Districts where we did not previously have one. (We also lost a candidate in one District – House 34 in Narragansett). We still need a candidate in 22 House and Senate Districts. (These are listed below).
All candidates for State Legislature must file their Declaration Of Candidacy, at the City or Town Hall in the community where they are registered to vote, by Wednesday (at 4 P.M.). After that, it is too late . If no Republican has filed to run by 4 P.M. on Wednesday, then the Democrat is automatically elected on November 2nd. Even if he gets indicted before election day (something which always seems to be a possibility in this state).
There are a number of Districts where we have not been able to identify any possible GOP candidate; not even a place-holder candidate (we will explain what that means a little later).
In 2010, Republicans are going to win in some very unexpected places, where they would never stand a chance in other years. Voters all over the nation are very angry, and are throwing out incumbent office-holders, just because they are incumbents. Look what happened recently in South Carolina’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary, where a total unknown, who did not campaign or spend any money, won only because his opponent currently held an office. This same sort of thing can happen in Rhode Island. But ONLY if the Republicans have a name on the ballot.
Many people have been assuming that someone else will come forward to run, and they do not need to do anything. Every election year, after the deadline has passed and no Republican filed to run in a District, we have people come up to us and say, “I wish I knew that you did not have a candidate in my District. I would have filed to run, just to keep the incumbent from being re-elected unopposed”. Well, in the Districts listed below, we do NOT have a candidate, and you know about it now. If you live in one of these Districts, will YOU do something about it, and file to run before the Wednesday deadline? Reply to this E-Mail right away if you would consider putting your name on the ballot. (Please, no E-Mails saying “I agree, and I hope you find somebody, but it will not be me”).
And rush down to your City or Town Hall, and file to run. (If it is totally impossible for you to get to Town Hall, contact us immediately, and we will try to help).
Now, the explanation of a place-holder candidate. If a candidate files to run, and gets enough signatures to qualify for the ballot, but then withdraws from the race; the state GOP Chairman has the authority to appoint a replacement, up until September 17. But if nobody files to run by this Wednesday at 4:00 P.M., there is no way under R.I. election law for us to have a candidate on the ballot. (At that point, we are totally out of the race.)
Here are the Districts where we need a candidate in a hurry:
House 1 (Providence – Rep.John McCauley)
House 3 (Providence – Rep. Edith Ajello)
House 7 (Providence – Rep. Joanne Giannini)
House 9 (Providence – Rep. Anastasia Williams)
House 12 (Providence – Rep. Joe Almeida)
House 14 (Cranston – Rep. Charlene Lima)
House 21 (Warwick – Rep. Eileen Naughton)
House 34 (Narragansett – Rep. David Caprio)
House 42 (Johnston,Cranston – Rep. Stephen Ucci)
House 49 (Woonsocket – Rep. Lisa Baldelli-Hunt)
House 51 (Woonsocket – Rep. Chris Fierro)
House 56 (Central Falls – Rep. Agostinho Silva)
House 57 (Central Falls,Cumberland – Rep. Ken Vaudreuil)
House 64 (East Providence – Rep. Helio Melo)
Senate 1 (Providence – Sen. Mary Ellen Goodwin)
Senate 4 (Providence,North Prov. – Sen. Domenic Ruggiero)
Senate 5 (Providence – Sen. Paul Jabour)
Senate 6 (Providence – Sen. Harold Metts)
Senate 7 (Providence,North Prov. – Sen. Frank Ciccone)
Senate 8 (Pawtucket – Sen. James Doyle)
Senate 25 (Johnston – Sen. Chris Maselli)
Senate 29 (Warwick – Sen. Mike McCaffrey)
This is a reminder that the Rhode Island Republican Party will be holding its Endorsing Convention later this evening at the historic Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet, located at 60 Rhodes Place (off of Broad Street), in Cranston.
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Kevin O’Neill Files to Run for RI State Senate 37
South Kingstown, RI – Successful businessman, father of four and South County native Kevin R. O’Neill today announced his candidacy for Rhode Island State Senate in District 37. O’Neill said he decided to run because Rhode Island government has stopped working for the people of South County and the rest of the state, and is in “desperate need” of new leadership.
“It’s clear that we can’t keep reelecting the same people to the State House if we want a different result. We need new leaders to step forward,” said O’Neill.
O’Neill is founder and president of the successful human resources consulting firm, O’Neill Consulting Group, which was named “fastest growing private company” in Rhode Island by the Providence Business News in 2008. The company provides executive search services for clients that include Dunkin’ Donuts, GAF and Nestle..
As Senator, O’Neill said his priorities in the state senate will be improving the state’s business climate which will allow businesses to create jobs and restoring fiscal sanity to the state budget process.
The new fiscal year hasn’t even started, and the state is already $100 million in the red, O’Neill said. “Everyone knew that the $100 million in federal Medicaid funds for Rhode Island were unlikely to be approved, but the legislature went ahead and included it as revenue anyway,” he explained. “Now the money’s not coming and the budget is in a shambles.”
“This type of rampant irresponsibility must be stopped immediately,” he added.
“South County and Rhode Island are in my blood and I feel a strong obligation to pitch in and help when I see that things are broken,” he added. “We are a great state and we can no longer afford a directionless government that holds us back.”
“As I meet friends and neighbors in this community one message rings clear, ‘why are elected officials in the General Assembly not listening to us? Why are South County’s needs being neglected in favor of the special interests of Senate leadership?’ As your Senator, I will work tirelessly to represent the people of South Kingstown and Block Island and will not fold to political pressure from a General Assembly more interested in personal gain than seeing that the people are served. “
Currently Chairman of the Board of the American Heart Association in Rhode Island, Kevin’s leadership helped the group raise more than $800,000 in the last two years to fund programs in the state. He is a former board member of the South County YMCA as well as the YMCA of Greater Providence.
Kevin is married to Chantel Byrd O’Neill. They have two sons and two daughters aged 12, 11, 9 and 8, who attend Monsignor Matthew Clarke Regional School in Wakefield. Kevin’s grandfather founded the heating oil company, O’Neill Oil Company, and was president of the South Kingstown Chamber of Commerce. His uncle was State Senator William C. O’Neill, for whom the former South County Bike Path was recently dedicated. Kevin is the son of the late John C. “Jack” O’Neill, Jr. and Jean Carlson O’Neill – the fifth of six children.
“My family is my inspiration to serve. My grandfather served in World War I and founded a successful company here; my Uncle Bill served as a State Senator, my father in the Pacific theatre in World War II and on the South Kingstown School Committee and Planning Board” O’Neill said. “I owe it to my wife, Chantel, and our four children to step forward and offer to serve. We want them to be able to stay in Rhode Island and raise their families here.”
Press Release: O’Neill for State Senate