Former Democratic Councilor Endorses Republican Hopkins for Mayor of Cranston
GoLocalProv News Team
Former Democratic Councilor Endorses Republican Hopkins for Mayor of Cranston
“I am very pleased to announce my support for Ken Hopkins in his race to be our next Mayor.” said McAuley. “As a lifelong Democrat it takes a great individual person and a candidate like Ken for me to endorse a Republican in this year’s election.”
“Ken and I came on the council together in 2017 and I have enjoyed working closely with him on many issues of concern to taxpayers and residents. I have seen firsthand his ability to work across party lines, his love for Cranston and his common-sense approach to the issues that are next Mayor will face.”
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTMcAuley said that while he knows all of the four major candidates for mayor of both parties that Hopkins stood out as the clear choice for Mayor.
The other primary candidate are Council President and endorsed Republican Michael Farina, Democratic Councilman Steve Stycos, and former Democratic Councilwoman Maria Bucci. Hopkins squares off against Farina on the Republican side and Stycos faces Bucci on the Democratic side.
Hopkins Supported McAuley in Council Flap
In June, Hopkins demanded that the City Council’s legal counsel, Evan Kirshenbaum, resign -- after McAuley announced his resignation.
"After my resignation tonight at the City Council meeting, Evan Kirshenbaum continued to defend his reprehensible behavior by harassing me via email and accusing me of political grandstanding in my demand for an apology from him," said now-former City Councilor McAuley at the time.
McAuley said he was resigning because “Mr. Kirshenbaum attacked ‘my conduct’...without even a whisper of any remorse for his disrespect and slanderous accusations against me at the June 1 Finance Committee meeting.”
GoLocal repeatedly requested comment from McAuley of examples of the claims and received no response.
Kirshenbaum strongly disputed the claims.
Democrats for Hopkins
Hopkins said that he is asking McAuley to head up “Democrats for Hopkins.” “As we move to the Primary and general election, I am sensing a groundswell of support all over Cranston. There is plenty of room for Democrat voters inspired by Paul McAuley to jump on the H- Train.”
“I know that Ken will protect the taxpayers and keep our Ward 2 neighborhoods safe with active support for police and fire services,” stated McAuley. “As a former teacher at Cranston East he will make sure our schools are protected and our kids have the resources to get the best education.”
According to the announcement, McAuley said that he will be disaffiliating as a registered Democrat in order to vote for Ken Hopkins on September 8th. “I have always backed up my words with action.”
McAuley said that he will still support other Democratic candidates but his respect and friendship for Hopkins requires him to disaffiliate. “I am urging Democratic voters throughout the city to join me and other Republicans and unaffiliated voters to support Ken Hopkins,” stated McAuley.
The deadline to disaffiliate is August 10, 2020.
“As I talk to voters there is great enthusiasm for Ken Hopkins. I tell them if you want to vote for Ken in November, then we need to vote for him on Primary Day September 8th,” said McAuley.
McAuley urged people to contact him or the Board of Canvassers to disaffiliate if they want to vote in the Republican primary for mayor. McAuley said, “Ken Hopkins will be a great Mayor to keep this city moving forward.”
The mayoral candidate stated he was honored and grateful for McAuley’s personal endorsement. “I know Paul is a proud Democrat and he did not take lightly his decision to disaffiliate to vote in the Republican primary. He is a great public servant and is tremendously admired by members of both parties on the City Council,” said Hopkins.