Block Reports $550K for 3rd Quarter in RI Governor's Race
GoLocal News Team
Block Reports $550K for 3rd Quarter in RI Governor's Race
The amount reflects over $28,000 in individual contributions and a $500,000 personal loan from Block himself.
See Summary of 3rd Quarter Campaign Activity Here
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTBlock, who announced Monday he was joining the Republican party in his bid for Governor in 2014, had reported for the second quarter having just over $20,000.
Will the increase have an impact on the 2014 race for Governor? "It depends on how much money he puts into the race," said Darrell West, Vice President of Governance Studies at the Washington, DC-based Brookings Institution. "If he keeps doing that, he will be in a strong position in the GOP primary."
Candidates' Numbers Updated
Providence Mayor Angel Taveras, who officially launched his campaign for governor on Monday, had reported a fund balance of just over $692,000 at the end of the second quarter.
General Treasurer Gina Raimondo, who has not yet made an announcement on future political plans, is on pace to file a fundraising amount of more than $400,000 for the quarter, adding to the over $2 million she had reported for the second quarter.
Republican Mayor of Cranston Allan Fung had ended the second quarter with $256,748.
"Block's chances of getting elected have improved since moving to the Republican Party," said veteran political pollster Victor Profughi. "I think when a candidate indicates this early that they are willing to commit personal resources is an incentive for people sympathetic to his point of view to step up to give."
Regarding the personal loan being the bulk of the amount, Profughi said, "I think what it will do as well is show that he is serious about being a Republican candidate."
He continued however, "Primaries are strange animals, especially on the Republican side. They're not usually able to get a high turn out....I think 65,000 was highest they've gotten. You might need only 15,000 - 16,000 votes to be the Republican nominee."
Profughi then added, "Money is not nearly as important in primaries as the general election."
Ken Block -- Timeline
Early Years
Block was born in 1965 and grew up in Milford, CT as the oldest of three children. He graduated from high school in 1983 and attended Dartmouth College, earning a BA in Computer Science in 1987.
Career Beginnings
Block began his career writing software for Wall Street trading desks. He went on to Bank of New England in Boston, and then to job at a small software consultancy in the Boston area.
In 1991, Block began work in Rhode Island on a one year consulting job with GTECH Corporation, and by 1992 took a full time position at the company. Block left GTECH in 1997 to form Kinetic Consulting and after the dot-com bust he formed Simpatico Software.
Moderate Party Formation
The beginnings of the Moderate Party of Rhode Island were started in 2008, when a website was established and candidates were endorsed in the general election.
The Moderate Party faced several legal hurdles however seeking official recognition by the state. The party filed a lawsuit against the state in February of 2009 to be able to gain official party stauts, and a US District Judge ruled ultimately in the Moderate Party's favor in May 2009.
Over 33,000 signatures were collected ultimately validating the party, and placing it on the 2010 ballot.
2010 Election
Running as the Moderate Party candidate, Ken Block finished 4th in the statewide general election with 6.5% of the vote -- 22,146 in total.
Governor Lincoln Chafee won with 36.1 percent (123,571 votes); Republican John Robitaille took 33.6% (114,911 votes), and Democrat Frank Caprio 23% (78,896).
Political Presence
Following the 2010 election, Block continued to push for political change in the state, undertaking the Rhode Island Health and Human Services Waste and Fraud Report, with the preliminary findings submitted earlier this year.
Block has spoken out on such issues as abolishing the master lever, opposing payments to bondholders on 38 Studios, among others. Block also served as President of RI Taxpayers.
2014 Governor's Race
Block announced his candidacy for the 2014 Rhode Island Governor's race earlier this year in May.
