ELECTION 2018: Who Is In, Who Is Jumping In, and Who Are We Waiting For
GoLocalProv Political Team
ELECTION 2018: Who Is In, Who Is Jumping In, and Who Are We Waiting For
It is just about a year before the 2018 election and less than eleven months until the political primaries.
The recent statewide poll unveiled last week by GoLocal showed voters rank that three of the four members of the RI Congressional delegation and all five of the general officers doing their jobs fair or poor rather than excellent or good. In polling terms, eight out of nine Rhode Island's top elected officials are "upside down" in their approval ratings. SEE ALL THE POLL NUMBERS HERE
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTFor anyone looking at running for office, this creates a tremendous opportunity.
Presently, it can be assumed the incumbent state officeholders Governor Gina Raimondo (D), Lt. Governor Dan McKee (D), General Treasurer Seth Magaziner (D), and Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea (D) are all running for reelection. In addition, Attorney General Peter Kilmartin is term-limited and cannot run for that office again.
Incumbent members of the congressional delegation who are all up for re-election this cycle are U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D), and both members of the House, David Cicilline (D-1st) and Jim Langevin (D-2nd). All three are expected to run for reelection.
SEE SLIDES BELOW: Who Is In, Who Is Jumping In, and Who Are We Waiting For
ELECTION 2018: Who Is In, Who Is Jumping In, and Who Are We Waiting For
WHO IS IN
Governor — Patricia Morgan (R)
“I am running for Governor," House Minority Leader Patricia Morgan told the crowd assembled at a crowd at the Portsmouth Republicans in late September. Morgan made the announcement at the “Turn Rhode Island Red BBQ Cookout" that she is running for Governor.
WHO IS IN
Governor — Joe Trillo (R)
According to Trillo for Governor website, “Joe Trillo brings a unique set of skills to the job of Governor. He started several successful Rhode Island-based businesses from scratch.”
Trillo, the former state Representative from Warwick wraps himself in the Donald Trump flag and in a crowded primary could be a factor.
WHO IS IN
Governor —Paul Roselli
Paul Roselli, one of the leading opponents of the proposed Invenergy power plant, today announced on GoLocal LIVE that he will primary Gina Raimondo in the Democratic primary in September of 2018.
"I am running for Governor -- Raimondo has ignored 'ordinary citizens,'" said Roselli.
Roselli, who initially filed as an independent, changed to Democrat. "I realized I wanted to be able to face-off against [Raimondo] more," said Roselli. "This is about her taking the Invenergy check out in Chicago."
WHO IS IN
Attorney General — Peter Neronha (D)
The former U.S. Attorney has formally announced that he is seeking the Democratic nomination for Attorney General. “I am running for Attorney General now because the job I did as U.S. Attorney isn’t finished.
There is much more work to do, work that builds on what I’ve already done."
He and nearly all of the U.S. Attorneys around the country who had been appointed by President Obama were fired by the President Donald Trump's administration.
WHO IS IN
U.S. Senate — Bobby Nardolillo (R)
One of the earliest to announce for office this election cycle, State Representative Bobby Nardolillo is likely to face a GOP primary challenge from Robert Flanders, The GOP winner will face sitting U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. Recent polling shows Whitehouse has vulnerabilities.
Would you say that Sheldon Whitehouse has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as a United States Senator?
Excellent:17%
Good: 22%
Fair: 21%
Poor: 28%
Never heard of: 6%
Cannot rate: 7%
WHO IS JUMPING IN
Lt. Governor — Aaron Regunberg (D)
Aaron Regunberg will announce Tuesday that he is challenging incumbent Democrat Dan McKee for the party nomination for Lt. Governor.
Regunberg, in his mid-20s, is considered one the most Progressive members of the General Assembly. In contrast, McKee is considered extremely conservative.
WHO IS JUMPING IN
Governor — Allan Fung (R)
Allan Fung will formally announce Tuesday afternoon that he is running for Governor. The Cranston Republican Mayor ran in 2014 and finished second to Raimondo.
The three-way race saw Raimondo garner 40.7 percent of the vote and Fung received 36.2 percent. The late Robert Healey, running as a Moderate party candidate proved the wild card as he received 21.4 percent of the vote.
WHO ARE WE WAITING FOR
Attorney General — Ted Siedle (?)
He just collected the biggest whistleblower reward in the history of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Former SEC lawyer and Forbes' columnist Edward "Ted" Siedle - who in 2013 wrote the scathing report, "RI Pension Reform - Wall Street's License to Steal," told GoLocalProv in August that he is giving strong consideration to running for Rhode Island Attorney General in 2018.
WHO ARE WE WAITING FOR
Governor — Lincoln Chafee (D)
Lincoln Chafee, the former Independent Governor turned Democrat looked like he was a sure thing to run in 2018 when he blistered Raimondo’s economic development policies. On GoLocal LIVE, Chafee called Raimondo’s approach a “Candy Store” for corporate giveaways.
WHO ARE WE WAITING FOR
U.S. Senator — Robert Flanders (R)
The former Supreme Court Justice is looking to take on sitting U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. According to the recent polling conducted by John Della Volpe's firm Socialsphere, only 39 percent of Rhode Islanders believe Whitehouse is doing an Excellent or Good job as U.S. Senator and 49 percent believe he is doing a Fair or Poor job.
Flanders has raised for loaned himself just under $200,000 to date.
