Voter Guide: Who will Win the Biggest Races?
Dan McGowan, GoLocalProv News Editor
Voter Guide: Who will Win the Biggest Races?
It’s Election Day and GoLocalProv has extensive voter guides for each of the three Congressional races set to be decided today.
U.S. Senate
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D)
“Rhode Island has been hit hard by this recession. At over 110 community dinners that I’ve held, at small business tours, and at other venues I’ve listened to the concerns and ideas of the people of our Ocean State so I can better represent them in Washington. And one thing is always clear – we need to grow our economy from the middle class out. That means standing up against the Republican forces in Washington who want to privatize Social Security, turn Medicare into a voucher program, and strip funding from Pell Grants. There are people – like my opponent – who want to return to the failed Bush policies that brought our economy to its knees and cost us millions of middle class jobs. We cannot let that happen, and if Rhode Islanders continue to place their trust in me for re-election, I promise to continue my fight to always protect and stand up for the middle class.”
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTBarry Hinckley (R)
“At the end of the day, I am running for my kids, so they will have an opportunity to stay in Rhode Island. I believe any parent would prefer a car ride, over a plane trip, when they want to see their children on Thanksgiving.”
1st Congressional District
Congressman David Cicilline (D)
“I’ve been honored to serve in Congress and fight hard on behalf of Rhode Island’s working men and women for the last 20 months. Whether addressing individual problems, or working with Senator Reed, Senator Whitehouse, and Congressman Langevin to support efforts to bring more federal resources to the state, or fighting to protect Medicare, end tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas, and reinvigorate our local manufacturers, I have been working as hard as I can every single day and I hope I will be able to continue to do so.”
Brendan Doherty (R)
“Rhode Island needs Congressional representation with uncompromising integrity, untainted by scandal and owing no party or person anything. Throughout my career in law enforcement, I have prided myself on my integrity and understanding that true leadership is taking responsibility for what occurs on your watch. I am my own man and will always work to make the decisions that are in the best interests of the Rhode Islanders I represent. As I’ve said before, I will approach Congress as a public servant, not a party servant. Washington is broken right now and the only way to fix it is to bring leaders in who are interested in working in a bipartisan fashion. I believe Rhode Islanders will benefit from an independent-minded, honest leader. Perhaps most important, I will always tell the truth. As the Providence Journal noted in their endorsement of me, character counts.”
David Vogel (I)
“Electing committed partisans ensures that in Washington, there will continue to be greater allegiance owed to party bosses and to corporate backers than there will be to the public. Our nation likes to remind itself that innovation, along with a never-say-die attitude, is an enormous source of our collective pride; that same principle should apply to how we choose our public servants. If you are of the opinion that money has poisoned our central government, then I ask you to veer away from the major parties, and to vote for a candidate whose only obligation would be to the voters.”
2nd Congressional District
Congressman James Langevin (D)
“Voters can count on me to focus on policies that strengthen our middle class and give everyone who works hard a fair opportunity to reach their full potential. I am proud of successes like doubling submarine production at Electric Boat to create hundreds of jobs and funding workforce training programs like those at CCRI, but there is much more to accomplish with so many Rhode Islanders still out of work. At a time when there is too much partisanship and gridlock in Congress, I also have a record of reaching across the aisle to get things done. This includes bipartisan efforts to improve career and technical education and pass a landmark law I authored to help families caring for an elderly parent or a loved one with special needs. I’m always committed to putting Rhode Island’s interests first and being a voice for a strong middle class.”
Michael Riley (R)
“Voters should support that candidate most capable of dealing with the problems of Rhode Islanders today; those problems are all related to the economy. I have been a problem solver all my life. I have 35 years of private sector experience and I have been involved in high finance. I am a self starter and have built and lead companies large and small. I have been selected by my peers to positions of leadership in my profession. I have served as disciplinary officer and exchange official in my career at the American Stock Exchange.”
Abel Collins (I)
“I’m the only candidate who will represent the interests of Rhode Island citizens rather than some misguided party line.”
Dan McGowan can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @danmcgowan.