EDITORIAL

Pell shakes up race for governor

Posted 8/27/14

The Democratic gubernatorial primary has gotten very interesting.

Less than three weeks out from the Sept. 9 election, new polling shows the race between General Treasurer Gina Raimondo, …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in
EDITORIAL

Pell shakes up race for governor

Posted

The Democratic gubernatorial primary has gotten very interesting.

Less than three weeks out from the Sept. 9 election, new polling shows the race between General Treasurer Gina Raimondo, Providence Mayor Angel Taveras and newcomer Clay Pell has tightened considerably.

Raimondo, who now leads the pack with 32 percent support, and Pell, who remains in third place but has surged to 26 percent, got the best news in the WPRI 12/Providence Journal numbers released Wednesday. Taveras, who had led in earlier polls, sits just ahead of Pell with 27 percent. Todd Giroux, the fourth Democrat in the race, polled at one percent. Thirteen percent of respondents said they remain undecided.

Pell, whose campaign was beleaguered early on by awkward media appearances and headlines about his missing car, has changed the dynamic of the race. The grandson of longtime U.S. Senator H. Claiborne Pell has utilized his personal wealth to fund his bid, and has taken to the airwaves with a positive and polished message. Voters are, quite clearly, taking him seriously.

The shift can be seen most clearly through the ads being run by Raimondo and Taveras. Both have moved from exclusively positive and frequently biographical ads to spots that criticize one another – Raimondo as the candidate of Wall Street, Taveras as a typical politician. Both have also set their sights on Pell in an effort to convince voters he lacks the experience needed for the job.

There is no new polling on the Republican side of the campaign for governor, where Cranston Mayor Allan Fung is facing businessman Ken Block for the GOP nomination. Negativity long ago crept into that race, however, with Fung questioning Block’s conservative credentials and Block attacking Fung’s record as mayor.

Fung has the party’s endorsement and support from a range of establishment figures and local GOP committees. Block has received the backing of several Republican lawmakers and other notable figures.

It remains difficult to determine precisely where their race stands. The hope on the Republican side must now be that the often sharply negative tone of their campaign does not have a lasting impact, and that the winner can present himself as a results-oriented alternative to the Democratic nominee.

The Democratic hopefuls are next set to debate Aug. 27 at the Providence Performing Arts Center, while the Republican candidates will meet again the following week, Sept. 2, at the same location.

We urge our readers, particularly those who haven’t tuned in or remain undecided, to get to know the candidates and their ideas in these last few weeks of the campaign. It’s no secret that Rhode Island faces some major challenges, and episodes like the 38 Studios debacle illustrate the importance of choosing our leaders wisely.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here