Conley Who Lost to Langevin in Democratic Congressional Primary Considering Run for Mayor of Prov

Conley Who Lost to Langevin in Democratic Congressional Primary Considering Run for Mayor of Prov

Dylan Conley, the chair of the Board of Licenses for the City of Providence who recently lost to Congressman Jim Langevin in the Democratic primary for Congress in the 2nd District, is looking at running for Mayor of Providence.

He was appointed to the board by term-limited Mayor Jorge Elorza, who is widely considered to be running for Governor.

Conley would be joining a growing list of Providence mayoral candidates in the 2022 race, including Democratic staffer Gonzalo Cuervo who first confirmed with GoLocal he is running, and former mayoral candidate Brett Smiley, who served as a top staffer to Elorza after dropping out of the 2014 race, and Director of Administration under Governor Gina Raimondo. 

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Smiley confirmed to GoLocal in October he is exiting his political consulting firm. 

Also rumored to be running are City Council President Sabina Matos, City Councilwoman Nirva LaFortune, and State Representative Ray Hull, among a growing list. 

Latest Conley Effort

By profession, Conley is an attorney and practices with his father William Conley, the former Chair of the Senate Finance Committee who lost his bid for reelection to the General Assembly this year as well. 

The younger Conley now exploring a mayoral run lost to Langevin in the September primary 70% to 30%.

Conley took to social media Thursday night and wrote:

“I’ve been considering running for Mayor of Providence. Before the pandemic hit, I had been having conversations with some folks in the hospitality industry about what PVD could do to capitalize on its local talent and location between Providence and Boston. And I am always talking about housing,” said Conley.

“After I announced I was running for Congress, people began reaching out to me to ask if I would consider running for Mayor. I do as much municipal work as anyone in the state, running a City is something I know well. My experience on the Board of Licenses has given me a wealth of knowledge and experience regarding the pitfalls and benefits of running a small business in the Creative Capital. At their behest, I have been considering it,” he added.

 

According to Conley:

Conley said the following on Thursday:

But for now, here is where I am:

1) My primary goal is that the next Mayor be a person that is fully capable of improving quality of life and business opportunity in the City while fostering a far more equitable social system without relying on tax hikes to support new spending. I know I could do that. That said, so far, some of the other folks considering their own candidacy seem like they might be able to do it too.

2) Secondarily, regretfully, I think Mayor of Providence is an immensely difficult if not borderline impossible job. The finances of the City are tight, at best, going into what I believe will be a slow economic recovery from the pandemic. I have grand visions of what PVD could do, but I do consider the plausibility of my ideas through the lens of our fiscal reality.

So, I am considering running for Mayor, but I will make the decision within the context of what can be done and who is capable of doing it.

What is the actual field of Candidates? Will Congress spend to buoy municipalities? Will any State action, such as requiring colleges etc. to pay taxes, have an impact on Providence's financial capabilities?

For the time being I will continue discerning the future landscape while being hopeful that things will come together for the City I love.