Why Matos’ False Endorsement Claims Are Problematic: UVA Political Science Chair Lawless LIVE

Why Matos’ False Endorsement Claims Are Problematic: UVA Political Science Chair Lawless LIVE

University of Virginia Political Science Department Chair Jennifer Lawless appeared on GoLocal LIVE where she discussed national and local politics — including GoLocal’s reporting in the special Congressional election for the seat being vacated by David Cicilline. 

As GoLocal first reported, candidate Sabina Matos — the current Rhode Island Lt. Governor — falsely claimed she had the endorsement of 31 elected officials; her campaign later had to walk the number down to 25. 

“I would say that if Sabina Matos continues to have a campaign that in the most charitable interpretation is that it was sloppy counting…she’s going to open herself up to being dishonest,” said Lawless. “It would have been fine to say that she had 25 endorsements, there was no reason to say she had 31. If the campaign can’t keep track that’s a problem, because the campaign is going to have many more balls in the air and a lot more juggling to do between now and Election Day and her staff is going to have a lot more to do if she gets elected.”

“So it’s sloppy at best, disingenuous at worse,” Lawless. “I would really encourage her campaign to be more careful because those are the kinds of missteps that other candidates can jump on.”

 

Race in Focus

“I think it’s not going to be a real race until at least some of the candidates start campaigning in a broader way,” Lawless said of the field that is now over a dozen candidates. “So that’s not only through local media but it’s also on TV and developing campaign ads. Voters are not paying attention — the best way for any candidates other than [Matos] to build name recognition is to reach a broad a group of voters as possible.”

“Summer in Rhode Island is not the best time to close out a campaign, let alone that it be basically the entire duration of campaign. Whoever goes into this at the beginning of June looking strongest, it’s [their] race to lose,” said Lawless. “I will say two things — I think we will see candidates start to stake out positions that could generate quite a bit of media attention.”

“We see that with Regunberg calling for Clarence Thomas’ impeachment…that’s cute, but what a member of the House of Representatives in the minority party is going be be unlikely to gain much traction,” she added.”