EDITORIAL: What Happened to the RI GOP Being the Party of Small Business?

EDITORIAL: What Happened to the RI GOP Being the Party of Small Business?

Friday night, the room was packed with small business people. Owners of construction companies, software engineers, and bankers. Hundreds of entrepreneurs attended the Rhode Island Black Business Association Gala on Friday night.

The most amazing thing — not a Republican candidate or elected official could be found.

Seizing the opportunity was Governor Gina Raimondo, Congressman David Cicilline, Mayors Jorge Elorza and James Diossa, Treasurer Seth Magaziner, Attorney General candidate Peter Neronha, as well as state representatives and members of city councils. All the politicians in the room were Democrats and some of them even have questionable marks on their records as they relate to promoting small business.

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The night’s discussion was about celebrating business successes and creating a better business environment — the ideology being capitalism.

The keynote speaker was corporate attorney Kas DeCarvalho, who talked unapologetically about seeking success as business owners, with its goals and challenges.

It was a night of celebrating business accomplishments. The only partisanship was pro-economic growth.

Mayor Allan Fung, Judge Robert Flanders, Chairman Brandon Bell, and National Committeeman Steve Frias — where were you?

One can’t imagine John Chafee, Ed DiPrete, Lincoln Almond, Don Carcieri, or Ron Machtley missing the night. All had solid records on supporting small business (and civil rights).

Where were the Republicans?