State GOP Chair Praises Chafee Appointment

State GOP Chair Praises Chafee Appointment

State GOP Chairman Giovanni Cicione applauded Governor-elect Lincoln Chafee for appointing Secretary of State candidate Catherine Taylor to a position in his administration.

Taylor, who is also a former speechwriter for Chafee and his father, John Chafee, will be heading up the Department of Elderly Affairs, pending the approval of the state Senate.

“Catherine was an outstanding candidate and while I remain disappointed in her loss, I’m thrilled that Governor-Elect Chafee is recognizing her talent and her commitment to public service by giving her this appointment,” Cicione told GoLocalProv. “I continue to hold out hope that his independent administration will look to balance his cabinet and his leadership team by selecting more qualified individuals from the Republican ranks.”

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Hopes Chafee looks at other Republicans

Cicione declined to name anyone else he’d recommend for a position in the administration.

“I wouldn’t presume to suggest whom he appoints—I just hope that he looks to access a full range of solutions to Rhode Island’s problems by drawing advisors from the right as well as the left,” Cicione said.

Taylor can help reach out to independents

He also dismissed concerns that Taylor’s future involvement in the state GOP would be limited by her appointment. “No, I don’t think it diminishes anything,” Cicione said, “In fact, it just emphasizes that she sits directly at the heart of the single most important issue for the future of our party—how we interact with and appeal to independent voters.”