Meet the Candidates: Jonathan Anselmo Hernandez
GoLocalProv
Meet the Candidates: Jonathan Anselmo Hernandez
1. What do you think is the biggest political issue this campaign season in Rhode Island?
Ethics and trust in the general assembly is the biggest issue in RI. There is a lack of trust in our government; citizens do not believe politicians are working on their behalf in good faith. They see scandal after scandal connected to the leadership which leads them to believe that no one is reputable. We need to restore faith by having stronger ethics reform, which is why I have called for reforms such as not allowing GA members to serve on non-profit or city and town boards. We also need term limits and public financing of elections to allow more people to get involved and get money out of politics.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST2. What do we need to do to improve Rhode Island's economy?
Rhode Island needs to invest in its people, not multinational corporations. Instead of competing with other states in a bidding war that only helps millionaires and billionaires get richer, RI needs to invest in small businesses in our state, help existing ones expand and hire, and help entrepreneurs start new companies. In addition, help those who have a great idea, but little experience, gain the tools to run a successful business through affordable programs at our Universities and Colleges.
We also need to make sure people who work make a living wage and do not live in poverty. Raising the minimum wage will be a boost to the economy as people making the low end of the wage scale spend their money more than higher earners, meaning more money will be spent at local businesses on services and goods.
Finally, to ensure long-term success, RI needs to invest in education and make sure every child, no matter where they live, receives a great and equal education.
3. What is the greatest challenge facing Rhode Island as a state?
The lack of jobs and opportunities in our state for young people is the greatest challenge we face as a State. The longer these young Rhode Islanders go without jobs, the less skills they will gain, the less experience they will have, and the worse their future prospects will be in our economy. This will create long lasting ramifications for our state and our economy for decades to come if we do not address it in a meaningful way today.
4. Why are you running for office?
I myself was unemployed and underemployed for several years, having graduated from Grad School the summer before the start of the great recession. I have seen friends and family lose jobs and their homes and struggle to make ends meet. I am running for them and people like them. I am tired of the GA pushing for things that hurt the middle and working class, while giving away millions to those who are already doing just fine. The GA continues to push for things that the public does not want, like tolls or public funding for the PawSox. We need a change of culture at the GA, where members stand up for their districts, not just follow lockstep with the agenda of the corrupt leadership.
5. Who is your inspiration?
My grandmother has been my inspiration, a woman who has worked her whole life to give her children and grandchildren a better life. She was a second mother to me and my siblings growing up and always taught us to be strong and work hard. She continues to push and inspire me, even as she fights her own battle with breast cancer, by showing that you never give up in the face of adversity.
Bio:
Jonathan Anselmo Hernandez was born in Providence in September 1984 to Maria and Felipe Hernandez. His parents were hard working immigrants to this country. Maria, from Dominican Republic, and Felipe, from Guatemala, worked hard to provide for their five children and for a better future. The children learned quickly about the value of hard work through the dedication and determination of both parents.
Jonathan is proud to be a product of RI’s public school system. His lifelong love of learning started early on and remains strong to this day. Jonathan attended the University of Maryland, College Park, where he received his Bachelors of Science degree in Architecture, and attended the University of Washington in Seattle where he earned his Master’s degree in Architecture. There he focused his research on how the built environment affects social issues, social movements, and social justice. He also was an advocate for Sustainability and Sustainable Urbanism, which informs many of his positions today. Upon completing his Master’s degree in 2008, Jonathan returned to Rhode Island and entered the workforce just as the economy imploded after years of national Republican rule and trickledown economics. He could have left RI and gone to cities and states with better economies like so many other people his age have done, but he loves RI and wants to help rebuild and reform this great state of ours. That is why Jonathan wants to support families and small businesses, so that we can keep our homegrown talent and create wealth in RI, not wealth for out-of-state or multinational businesses. He believes that Rhode Islanders can rebuild Rhode Island.
Jonathan currently resides in the Mt Hope area of Providence. He is an animal lover and has a dog named Goten. He works at Providence Water in the Engineering Department.
10 Primaries to Watch in RI in '16
1. House District 15
Who: Steven Frias v. Shawna Lawton
What: GOP Primary
Where: Cranston
The path to square off against Speaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello in Cranston starts in the Republican primary. Republican National Committeeman Frias — who twice ran for State Senate unsuccessfully in his early 20s in Providence — has consistently set his sights on the Speaker, and not his primary opponent, founder of Rhode Island Alliance for Vaccine Choice challenger Shawna Lawton.
Lawton has also put criticizing Mattiello — who holds inarguably the State’s most powerful position — high on her agenda, taking him to task on how he recently handled developments on the 38 Studios and John Carnevale fronts. Moreover, Lawton told WPRO that she will not debate Frias.
The cohort of Republican voters that the candidates are looking to woo aren't high. In the 2014 Republican gubernatorial primary, 4065 votes were cast city-wide when Allan Fung squared off against Ken Block — and the recent GOP Presidential Preference primary saw just over 5,100 votes cast for GOP candidates city-wide in Cranston this past spring.
Mattiello won in the general election unopposed in 2014 with almost 4200 votes. And come the general election, independent Patrick Vallier waits in wings along with Mattiello, making for an always difficult cross-cutting three-way race.
2. House District 5
Who: Marcia Ranglin-Vassell v. Rep. John DeSimone
What: Dem Primary
Where: Providence
DeSimone, the tax-beleaguered House Majority leader, recently shook off an ethics complaint filed by the Rhode Island Progressive Democrats for his failure to disclose his indebtedness to the City of Providence, as well as income derived from the city and state for his role in United Providence, which has received hundreds of thousands of dollars.
First elected in 1992 and chosen as Majority Leader in 2014, DeSimone is facing a strong challenge from Progressive Democrat and Providence school teacher Marcia Ranglin-Vassell. “Our community needs someone who will fight for us. For too long, we’ve had politicians who are only helping themselves and their well-connected friends,” Ranglin-Vassell said when she announced she would be running back in June.
She faces a formidable candidate in DeSimone, who despite his need to pay over $18,000 in back taxes, landed in the #6 slot on GoLocal’s list of legislators with the biggest war chests back in June, when he reported having over $111,111 cash on hand through the first quarter of the year. The question now is will deep pockets and leadership machinery be a match for Ranglin-Vassell who has the backing of an energize Progressive Democrat operation this year.
3. House District 60
Who: David Norton vs. Rep. David Coughlin
What: Dem Primary
Where: Pawtucket
Pawtucket resident Norton has been campaigning long before he declared officially declared his candidacy this past January. Norton had been one of the main organizers in the effort to keep the PawSox at McCoy, when the effort arose in 2015 by the new owners to move the AAA team to a new, taxpayer-subsidized stadium in Providence.
After notching that win — for now — Norton joined forces with City Councilor Sandra Cano to hold a series of “Crash Pawtucket” events to bring residents to a different establishment each month, to rev up support for small business in the city.
Opponent Coughlin was first elected in 2014 when he ran unopposed, which Norton said was “handed” to him by House leadership. Coughlin recently fired back at Norton’s position on the plans for a new train station in Pawtucket.
“This train station will raise the quality of life for Pawtucket’s residents and businesses and it will breathe new life to an area that is still recovering from the Great Recession. Combined with his opposition to the millions of dollars to fix Pawtucket’s roads and bridges, and our state investments to find ways to rebuild and renovate McCoy Stadium, my opponent does not seem to be in touch with the needs of the people and businesses of Pawtucket,” said Coughlin.
Pictured: David Norton
4. House District 54
Who: Bill Deware v. Rep. Bill O’Brien
What: Dem Primary
Where: North Providence
Incumbent Rep. Bill O’Brien and progressive challenger Bill Deware have been trading barbs throughout the summer in North Providence, with the Progressives going after O’Brien about missing ethics filings, and O’Brien releasing a video of his campaign signs being stolen in the district — and questioning Deware’s voting record, having voted in Johnston while living in the district.
"I think people should be more concerned on the issues than worrying about signs and petty politics, when there are policy issues to debate,” said Deware following the sign incident. O’Brien, meanwhile hit out at Deware on this issue of his voting. "I am deeply disturbed by this revelation. My opponent admits to committing voter fraud multiple times. People have fought and died to protect the right to vote fairly and I have a colleague from Pawtucket who lost an election by one vote," said O'Brien.
Deware, who is endorsed by the Progressive Democrats, recently came back from a hospitalization from meningitis that had left him in a coma — but said in a statement that full recover is expected.
Pictured: Bill Deware
5. Senate District 8
Who: Matt Fecteau v. Mark Theroux v. Sen. Jamie Doyle
What: Dem Primary
Where: Pawtucket
The three-way Democratic primary in Senate District 8 in Pawtucket which features six-time incumbent Jamie Doyle; Matt Fecteau, who ran against United States Representative David Cicilline in the 2014 primary; and Mark Theroux, is one of the top races to watch this primary election.
In 2014, Fecteau, a political newcomer, was able to snag 37% of the vote in the primary in the first Congressional district against Cicilline, with 22,447 votes to Cicilline’s 38,186. Meanwhile, Doyle needed to amend his ethics filings after admitting he failed to disclose tens of thousands of dollars in personal and business debts. WPRI reported Doyle filed the amended the amended ethics reports after he had “not disclosed multiple liens on his home and business properties related to unpaid taxes.”
Meanwhile, the Valley Breeze reported that Theroux’s wife, who is on the Democratic Committee for Senate District 8, voted to endorse…Doyle.
Pictured: Jamie Doyle
6. House District 67
Who: Jason Knight v. Rep. Jan Malik
What: Dem Primary
Where: Barrington/Warren
Incumbent Malik, who was first elected to the House in 1996, is facing a fierce challenge from primary opponent Jason Knight.
Sam Bell with the Progressive Democrats highlighted the race back in June. "Malik has been extremely ideologically conservative, with an 'A plus' rating from the NRA. He voted against marriage equality and his district isn't extremely right wing -- it's very liberal on social issues. And Warren is a place where you saw two successful progressive town council primaries last cycle, knocking out established [Democrats]," said Bell.
Meanwhile, Malik questioned Knight’s client list as a former defense attorney, representing defendants accused of sexual assault and child porn charges. "I believe it is the public's right to know what a person does for a living and who that person represents," said Malik. “Personally, I am very disappointed to learn about some of the clients that my opponent represents.”
Pictured: Jason Knight
7. House District 64
Who: Brian Coogan v. Helder Cunha
What: Dem Primary
Where: East Providence
The East Providence battle pits a former State Representative against a Democratic candidate who is currently under investigation by the State Ethics Commission.
In 2004, outgoing District 64 State Representative Helio Melo challenged then-incumbent Coogan in a four-way Democratic Primary, winning with 970 votes (62.1%) and then prevailing in a three-way general election. Now, Coogan is seeking a return to his former seat.
This past July, GoLocal reported that Cunha, who current serves as East Providence Assistant Mayor, had been been barred from trading in the futures industry by the National Futures Association, the industry-wide, regulatory organization for the U.S. derivatives industry. Then earlier this month, East Providence Mayor Thomas Rose filed an ethics complaint against Cunha, which the Ethics Commission voted to investigate.
Pictured: Helder Cunha
8. Senate District 7
Who: Doris De Los Santos v. Rep. Frank Ciccone
What: Dem Primary
Where: Providence, North Providence
Senator Frank Ciccone, who was first elected in 2002, is being challenged by Doris De Los Santos, who garnered the endorsement of the Progressive Democrats.
“In 2012 Governor Chafee appointed Doris as the director of the Office of Municipal and External Affairs. Her opponent, Frank Ciccone, has been involved in several scandals, including threatening a police officer who had pulled over conservative Senate Majority Leader Dominic Ruggerio for drunk driving,” wrote the Progressive Democrats in their release.
De Los Santos recently took to Facebook to call out Ciccone on issues of graffiti and neighborhood bars’ closing times - and Ciccone fired back. “This is a political race, and she’s distorting the facts,” said Ciccone.
9. House District 9
Who: Michael Gazdacko v. Rep. Anastasia Williams
What: Dem Primary
Where: Providence
Michael Gazdacko, a West End resident and member of the City Plan Commission, announced his candidacy in June as a Democrat for State Representative in District 9 — to take on incumbent Rep. Anastasia Williams.
In May of this year, GOP Chair Brandon Bell filed an ethics complaint against Williams for failing to disclose her employment with the city of Providence on her state financial disclosure form.
In 2014, the ousted Executive Director of the John Hope Settlement House alleged that Board President Rep. Williams had used the house for political purposes, without compensating the organization, including holding a campaign event for then-Democratic candidate for Governor Gina Raimondo.
GoLocal reported that Williams appointed former discredited head of ProCAP, Frank Corbishley, to serve as the interim Executive Director in the wake of former Director Taino Palermo's sudden departure, when Palermo challenged Williams' leadership.
10. Senate District 17
Who: Hagop Setrak Jawharjian v. Dennis Lavallee v. Keven McKenna v. Gina Petrarca-Karampetsos
What: Dem Primary
Where: Lincoln
It certainly has been a district in flux, never mind a four-candidate field slated to square off in the Democratic primary.
Sen. Edward O'Neill went from being an Independent to a Republican, then announced he wouldn't be seeking re-election in 2016 as he possibly mulls a run for Governor or General Treasurer.
So get your score card ready -- you'll need it to keep track of this lawyer-rich wild west of primaries.
Pictured: Ed O'Neill
Editor's note: A previous version included Louis Azar, who did not get the number of signatures needed.
