The Blog of the Rhode Island Republican Assembly
A Democratic official says Rep. Patrick Kennedy has decided not to seek re-election for his seat representing Rhode Island in the U.S. Congress…
Kennedy plans to air two-minute commercials about his decision to air on three Rhode Island TV stations on Sunday night. Here is the video below:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlMbyyHPqgo[/youtube]
Representative Loughlin Hears the Message Sent by Massachusetts Voters: “It’s a New Day!”
Stunning Upset by Scott Brown Returns “The People’s Seat”
TIVERTON – In an upset of historic significance, the seat held for the last 47 years by Senator Edward M. Kennedy, has been won by State Senator Scott Brown, a candidate, who, like State Representative John Loughlin, believes in less government, lower spending and responsive, responsible representation.
“The victory is stunning,” says John Loughlin, Rhode Island State Representative and Republican candidate for U.S. Congress in the First District. “Massachusetts is one of the bluest of the blue states, where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by 3 to 1.
Voters turned out in record numbers. Even visits by Democratic giants – including two Presidents – plus the full backing of Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, Senator John Kerry and the entire Kennedy family, including RI Congressman Patrick Kennedy, could not derail Brown’ campaign for the peoples seat.”
Loughlin believes that the many Independent voters of Massachusetts as well as Democrats joined Republicans and made their voices heard. “Voter frustration crosses party lines,” says Loughlin.
“This election proved that it is not the people who don’t understand the issues, it is the politicians who don’t understand the people.”
Loughlin believes that voters were fueled by anger and anxiety over today’s most crucial issues, from crippling unemployment to out-of-control spending and unchecked government expansion. He feels the political climate is one of profound unrest, where voters are unheard by out-of-touch, catch-me-if-you-can Washington insiders, operating behind closed doors.
“Today’s most serious issues, like Medicare and healthcare reform, high taxes and national security cry out for a common sense approach,” says Loughlin.
“Frustrated voters deserve a voice and a victory – today they got both.”
As Massachusetts neighbors, Rhode Islanders are facing a similar crossroad. “Ours is a state that’s heavily Democratic too,” Loughlin says. “But the upset in Massachusetts, I believe will motivate voters to unseat Patrick Kennedy, another career politician who’s voting record reflects his inability to understand the challenges Rhode Islanders face daily. He’s been entrenched in the Washington establishment for far too long.”
“I look forward to the contest with Representative Kennedy. It’s time for fresh-thinking, independent leadership from a candidate who listens to and respects the voters,” he says. “The days of letting the old political machinery run our state must end. Now more than ever, we need accountability and transparency. Elected officials need to be in touch, whether it’s visiting a business owner in Portsmouth, a caregiver in Woonsocket or a homeowner in a Providence neighborhood.”
The Loughlin campaign will reach across state lines to extend an invitation to the newly elected Massachusetts Senator in the months ahead. “I want Scott Brown to see first-hand that Rhode Islanders are also ready to send someone to Washington who will take on the political machine,” says Loughlin. “Today, Massachusetts voters opened the door to a new era – and I’m confident that Rhode Island voters will follow.”
Press Release: State Representative John Loughlin
Riding a wave of opposition to Democratic health-care reform, GOP upstart Scott Brown is leading in the U.S. Senate race, raising the odds of a historic upset that would reverberate all the way to the White House, a new poll shows.
Although Brown’s 4-point lead over Democrat Martha Coakley is within the Suffolk University/7News survey’s margin of error, the underdog’s position at the top of the results stunned even pollster David Paleologos.
“It’s a Brown-out,” said Paleologos, director of Suffolk’s Political Research Center. “It’s a massive change in the political landscape.”
The poll shows Brown, a state senator from Wrentham, besting Coakley, the state’s attorney general, by 50 percent to 46 percent, the first major survey to show Brown in the lead. Unenrolled long-shot Joseph L. Kennedy, an information technology executive with no relation to the famous family, gets 3 percent of the vote. Only 1 percent of voters were undecided…
Read More: The Boston Herald
On Tuesday January 5, 2010, the Executive Committee of the Rhode Island Republican Party met to request a meeting of the Rhode Island Republican State Central Committee in order to present, discuss and consider a proposed change in the party by-laws pertaining to primary elections. The Executive Committee by an overwhelming vote of 26-10 (with 2 abstentions) expressed its will to hold a special meeting on January 19, 2010.
In addition, an ad-hoc meeting of the city and town Republican Chairs voted 32 to 0 to support holding the meeting and the by-laws change. The result was that State Republican Party Chairman Giovanni Cicione refused to abide by the majority vote. Since that time he has made several public statements that he would not hold the requested meeting and in addition threatened to cancel the already scheduled meeting on February 9, 2010. This action by the State GOP Chairman would render the change ineffective based on the deadlines imposed by Rhode Island election law Section 17-12-2.1. Cicione has clearly stated in several public interviews that he would do anything in his power to obstruct the proposed by-laws change.
Michael Napolitano, chairman of the Lincoln Republican Town Committee and spokesperson for the GOP city and town chairs stated, “Effectively, Chairman Cicione, is casting a one person vote to block the will of the party with no democrative process. “Democracy delayed is democracy denied.” Chairman Cicione is in defiance of the Executive Committee, the city and town chairs, National Committee Woman Carol Mumford, First Vice-Chair Nancy Richmond, Second Vice-Chair Lester Olson, Treasurer Barbara Holmes, and Parliamentarian John Clarke.
Said Napolitano, “Acting on behalf of these individuals I hereby state we have no confidence in Giovanni Cicione’s ablility to lead this party effectively and demand his immediate resignation.”
Contact:
For Immediate Release
Michael V. Napolitano, Chairman, Lincoln Republican Town Committee
(401) 487-9301
On WPRO, a group representing 30 city and town GOP chairs from all over Rhode Island, members of the Rhode Island Republican Executive Committee, as well as most of the officers of the Rhode Island Republican Party have publicly called for the resignation or removal of RIGOP Chairman Gio Cicione.
A press release to that effect will be released shortly.
Since this information unlikely to be available in other venues, I’m providing it to you free of charge, being the generous guy that I am. This is according to my notes.
Against (10):
Gio Cicione – Chair, RIGOP
Robert Coupe – Secretary, RIGOP
John Harpootian – Governor’s Designee
Hon. Scott Avedesian – Mayor of Warwick
Hon. Allan Fung – Mayor of Cranston
Dr. Daniel Harrop – Chair, Finance Committee
Robert Manning – Chair, Platform Committee
Marge Gartelman – At-Large
Tom Curry – At-Large
Sean Gately – At-Large
In Favor (26):
Nancy Richmond – 1st Vice Chair, RIGOP
Lester Olson – 2nd Vice Chair, RIGOP
Barbara Holmes – Treasurer, RIGOP
Dave Talan – Corresponding Secretary, RIGOP
John Clarke – Parliamentarian, RIGOP
Hon. Carol Mumford – RNC National Committeewoman
Hon. Joseph Trillo – RNC National Committeeman
Travis Rowley – Chair, RI Young Republicans
Renay Omisore – Chair, African-American Republicans
Raymond McKay – President, Rhode Island Republican Assembly
Patricia Morgan – Past Chair, RIGOP (Will wonders never cease?)
Hon. Joseph Almond – Lincoln Town Administrator
Mia Caetano-Johnson – Chair, Nominations Committee
Hon. Robert Watson – House Republican Leader (We’ll take it!)
Phil Hirons – President, City and Town GOP Chairmen’s Caucus
Robert Carlin – Providence County Vice-Chair
Diane Allen – Washington County Vice-Chair
Judy Orson – Kent County Vice-Chair
Thomas Carroll – Bristol County Vice-Chair
Antone Viverios – Newport County Vice-Chair
Mark Zaccaria – At-Large
Ted Richards – At-Large
Charles Vacca – At-Large
Jonathan Scott – At-Large
William Ricci – At-Large
Abstentions (2):
John Robitaille – At-Large
Kerry King – At-Large
These are the unofficial results — sorted by polling station — from Tuesday’s special election in House District 62 (Pawtucket / East Providence) between Republican Tom Clupny, Democrat Mary Duffy-Messier, and Unaffiliated candidate Paul Dinsmore.
Total votes cast were remarkably low, about 487, with approximately 6% of eligible voters casting ballots. Although Tom did not win this time around, he did well considering the dynamics of the particular district. Simply put, it is not “Republican friendly” turf. On the bright side, Tom did win in the East Providence portion of the district! Tom has already indicated he will run again in the Fall of 2010. The campaign begins next week!
Fire Station – Pawtucket
Clupny – 15
Messier – 26
Dinsmore – 1
Fallon Elementary School
Clupny – 72
Messier – 161
Dinsmore – 1
Independence
Clupny – 20
Messier – 43
Dinsmore – 3
Little Elementary School
Clupny – 7
Messier – 23
Dinsmore – 2
East Providence
Clupny – 61
Messier – 43
Dinsmore – 8
Write-in – 1
TOTAL VOTES CAST*
Clupny – 175 votes (36%)
Messier – 296 votes (61%)
Dinsmore – 15 votes (3%)
Write-In – 1 votes (0%)
* The above quoted numbers do not count any absentee ballots.
Rory Smith, a newcomer to politics who had been actively considering a run for Rhode Island governor in 2010 as a Republican, has just issued a press release backing out of the race. Here is his statement:
After spending the last few months considering a run for Governor, I have decided to suspend my campaign and return all campaign contributions. While I am deeply appreciative of the support of those who know me well, I have come to the conclusion that as a newcomer to politics, my limited political experience and political network in Rhode Island will keep me from running a fully competitive campaign. I am still concerned about the critical issues facing our State and hope to use my knowledge and experience to make Rhode Island a better place both now and in the future.
I would like to especially thank Republican Party Chairman Giovanni Cicione for his encouragement and leadership. He has been a strong and skilled voice for the Rhode Island Republican Party, and he will have my support as he continues to grow and strengthen the Party in the years ahead.
This seems like a very realistic realization on Mr. Smith’s part. We wish him well. With his relatively early exit from the 2010 race, this certainly opens the barn door wide open for ‘he who shall not be named’ to gallop right on through to seek the GOP nod. Christmas came early!
Press Release: Rory Smith for RI
We’ve learned that the remaining Rhode Island Republican State Central Committee meeting of 2009 will be held on Tuesday, December 8th at the Courtyard by Marriott on West Main Road in Middletown. Please save the date. More information should be available shortly.
On a related note, the RIGOP Executive Committee will meet about an hour prior to the regular meeting. More to come.
