Candidates Say No Party Endorsement Helps Them With Voters

Candidates Say No Party Endorsement Helps Them With Voters

Several Democratic candidates who were not endorsed by their party last night said the lack of official support will actually help them run as independent, non-establishment candidates.

Most surprising, neither former state party chairman Bill Lynch, nor his brother, Attorney General Patrick Lynch, were endorsed as candidates for Congress and Governor, respectively, at the party convention. Instead, the state party went with Providence Mayor David Cicilline for the First District Congressional seat and General Treasurer Frank Caprio for Governor. (See below for a complete list of endorsements.)

Patrick Lynch campaign manager Joel Coon said the vote reinforced Lynch’s reputation as an outsider who fights the political establishment. “Look at his record as Attorney General and you can judge for yourself whether he is the establishment candidate,” Coon told GoLocalProv.

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Patrick Lynch Says He Has Fought the ‘Establishment’

Most recently, Lynch has crossed party leaders in the General Assembly on a bill that would allow the Public Utilities Commission to approve the development of a wind farm off Block Island. He has also proposed merging the Rhode Island House and Senate into one unicameral legislature.

“He’s running to change the state government,” Coon said. “He’s running to provide that level of leadership that it takes to change the state government.”

“This is certainly an anti-incumbent year,” said Bill Fischer, a spokesman for Bill Lynch, who was party chairman for 12 years but has not held elected office in 20 years.

Fischer said that the real incumbent in the Congressional race is Cicilline—who has spent a combined 15 years in office, first as a state rep, and then as mayor of Providence.

Gemma: An ‘Outsider’ and ‘Non-politician’

The campaign for Anthony Gemma, a conservative-leaning Democratic candidate for the First District seat, also saw the vote as a positive. “We’re looking at the more independent-minded voters in the Democratic Party and they’re the ones that are going to make the decision for the state,” said Chad Radock, campaign manager for Gemma. “I think it’s a credit to Anthony.”

Gemma didn't seem bothered by the outcome. “I am excited that I was able to be part of the process. That’s what it was about,” Gemma said. “I am not surprised that we are not getting the endorsement. I am an outsider and I am a non-politician. The real endorsement that I’m looking for is that of the people.”

David Segal, a fourth candidate for the Congressional seat, could not be reached for comment.

Lynch Claims Caprio Is ‘More of the Same’

Coon also claimed that the party endorsement of Caprio showed he was part of the political establishment. “Frank Caprio represents the status quo. He represents the old way of doing business and the failed economic policies of Don Carcieri,” Coon said. “He represents the past, we represent the future.”

The Caprio campaign vehemently disputed the charge. “The fact of the matter is that the Lynch family has controlled the Democratic Party in this state for more than 12 years so that we’re the establishment is completely ridiculous,” said spokesman Nick Hemond. “Tonight the Democratic Party changed the way the state does business and the party has done business—away from the past 12 years and in a new direction.”

He said the endorsement of Caprio was an endorsement of his policies that would change state government. “They endorsed small businesses,” Hemond said. “They endorsed working families. They endorsed pension reform.”

Candidates Endorsed by the State Democratic Party

General Treasurer – Gina Raimondo

Attorney General – Peter Kilmartin

Secretary of State – Ralph Mollis

Lieutenant Governor – Elizabeth Roberts

Governor – Frank Caprio

1^st Congressional District – David Cicilline

2^nd Congressional District – Jim Langevin