RI Campaign 2010: Democratic Primary Could Turn ‘Nasty’

RI Campaign 2010: Democratic Primary Could Turn ‘Nasty’

The first televised gubernatorial debate last Thursday night was largely a cordial affair, but as the Democratic primary between Attorney General Patrick Lynch and General Treasurer Frank Caprio draws closer, the gloves could soon come off, political analysts say.

“There were no knock-out punches,” said Joseph Fleming, a political consultant and an analyst for WPRI and Fox Providence, which hosted the debate at the University of Rhode Island. “It was basically they were taking jabs at an opening round.”

One such "jab" was delivered by Caprio against Independent Lincoln Chafee at the end of the debate.

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“If you want to pay more taxes, support Senator Chafee. If you don't want to pay taxes support me,” Caprio said, referring to Chafee’s plan for a one percent sales tax on food, clothes, and over-the-counter medication. Earlier in the debate, Chafee defended his proposal, saying it would close the budget deficit and was better than raising property taxes.

The exchange reflected a recent Rasmussen poll that showed Caprio and Chafee as the frontrunners in the race for governor, according to Ian Donnis, the political reporter for Rhode Island Public Radio.

He said Caprio’s focus on Chafee ignored the inconvenient fact that he still has to get through a Democratic primary against Lynch. “I expect the Democratic primary between Lynch and Caprio to be hard fought and possibly very nasty,” Donnis told GoLocalProv.