Cranston Mayor Allan FungOn election night in 2014, Allan Fung promised to return.
“Don’t worry, I will be back,” Fung told supporters at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, where he conceded the Governor’s race to Democrat Gina Raimondo. Fung would have been the first Asian-American Governor of the state. Instead, Raimondo became its first female chief executive.
“The next Governor of Rhode Island has her work cut out for her on Day One,” an emotional Fung told supporters in 2014.
As GoLocal reported, “polls had shown a tight race heading into the final days of the campaign, a fact reflected in a deluge of out-of-state spending on negative ads against both candidates by so-called super PACs.” The other factor in 2014 was the late Bob Healey -- the Moderate Party candidate received more than 20 percent of the vote. Raimondo slide in with 40.7 percent.
Now in 2017, Fung has promised to win the GOP nomination again.
Fung said, “Fifty years ago, my parents moved to Rhode Island because they believed in the opportunities here for a better life, and because they believed in the American Dream.”
Fung will face House Minority Leader Patricia Morgan and former State Representative Joe Trillo in the GOP primary. Giovanni Feroce, a former State Senator and once a GOP candidate for Lt. Governor is undecided.
Before Fung's comments were out of his mouth the RI Democratic party hit Fung. “Fung 2018 is just a rerun of Fung 2014, only now it's married to Donald Trump's agenda. While he, Patty Morgan and Joe Trillo will inevitably argue about which version of TrumpCare they like the best, Governor Raimondo remains focused on the hard work that’s required to strengthen our economy and get results.” Rhode Island Democratic State Party Executive Director T. Kevin Olasanoye.
The Democrats need to be aggressive. A recently completed poll conducted by Socialsphere for GoLocal found that Raimondo has seen deterioration in her support.
Would you say that Gina Raimondo has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as Governor?
Excellent 6%
Good 28%
Fair 30%
Poor 31%
Never heard of 1%
Cannot rate 3%
SEE FULL POLL BELOW
GoLocal: Benchmark Poll, October 2017
Sponsor: GoLocalProv
Sample: N=403
Rhode Island General Election Voters Margin of Error: +/- 4.9% at 95% Confidence Level
Interviewing Period: October 9-11, 2017
Mode: Landline (61%) and Mobile (39%)
Telephone Directed by: John Della Volpe, SocialSphere, Inc.
Are you registered to vote at this address?
Yes: 100%
When it comes to voting, do you consider yourself to be affiliated with the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, Moderate, or Unaffiliated with a major party?
Unaffiliated: 49%
Democrat: 32%
Republican: 15%
Moderate: .4%
Next year, in November of 2018, there will be a statewide general election for Governor and many other state offices. How likely is it that you will vote in this election?
Will you definitely be voting, will you probably be voting, are you 50-50...
Definitely be voting: 78%
Probably be voting: 13%
50-50: 9%
In general, would you say things in Rhode Island are headed in the right direction or are they off on the wrong track?
Right track: 39%
Wrong track: 45%
Mixed: 10%
Don't know/Refused: .6%
What would you say is the number one problem facing Rhode Island that you would like the Governor to address?
Jobs and economy: 21%
Education: 12%
Taxes: 12%
Roads: 12%
State budget: 9%
Corruption/Public integrity: .8%
Healthcare: 3%
Governor: 3%
Homelessness: 2%
Immigration: 2%
Other: 7%
Don’t know: .9%
Over the past three years or so, would you say the economy in Rhode Island has improved, gotten worse, or not changed at all?
Changed for the better: 35%
Changed for the worse: 16%
Not changed at all: 43%
Don't know/Refused: 5%
Over the same time, has your family's financial situation improved, gotten worse, or not changed at all?
Changed for the better: 26%
Changed for the worse: 19%
Not changed at all: 54%
Don't know/Refused: 1%
Recently, a proposal has been made to permit the issuance of $81 million in bonds by the State to build a new stadium for the Pawtucket Red Sox. If there was an election today on this issue, would you vote to approve or reject issuing $81 million in financing supported moral obligation bonds to build the stadium?
Net: Approve: 28%
Definitely approve: 15%
Probably approve: 14%
Net: Reject: 67%
Probably reject: 19%
Definitely reject: 48%
Don't know: 4%
Could you please tell me your age?
18-24: 7%
25-34: 15%
35-44: 15%
45-54: 20%
55-64: 17%
65+: 25%
Don't know/refused: 1%
What was the last grade you completed in school?
0-11: 2%
High school grad: 16%
Technical/Vocational school: 1%
Some college: 23%
College grad: 34%
Graduate degree: 24%
Don't know/refused: 1%
The next question is about the total income of YOUR HOUSEHOLD for the PAST 12 MONTHS. Please include your income PLUS the income of all members living in your household (including cohabiting partners and armed forces members living at home).
$50,000 or less: 27%
More $50,000 but less than $75,000: 13%
More $75,000 but less than $100,000: 13%
More $100,000 but less than $150,000: 17%
$150,000 or more: 13%
Don't know/refused: 17%
What particular ethnic group or nationality - such as English, French, Italian, Irish, Latino, Jewish, African American, and so forth - do you consider yourself a part of or feel closest to?
American/None: 21%
English: 13%
Italian: 13%
Irish: 12%
Black or African American: 6%
Latino/Hispanic: 6%
French: 6%
Portuguese: 3%
Jewish: 3%
German: 1%
Would you say that Donald Trump has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as President?