October 25, 2005

Rhode Island Politics

Don Carcieri’s Incredible Wisdom on the Problem of the Lieutenant Governor’s Position

Carroll Andrew Morse

Remember, you read it here first. This is Governor Don Carcieri on the Lieutenant Governor’s post, from the Political Scene in yesterday’s Projo…

But Carcieri said he thinks [the Lieutenant Governorship] would have more value if the state Constitution were changed to allow the governor and lieutenant governor to run as a team on the same ticket. "This would enable the governor to entrust the lieutenant governor with more official duties, and to better share the burden of running the executive branch," he said.
This is yours truly, from last May…
Lieutenant Governor, on the other hand, is not much of an opportunity in Rhode Island. The problem is structural. In any system where the Gov and the Lieutenant Gov are elected separately, the Lieutenant Gov becomes reduced to a not-very-bully pulpit. The Gov can’t vest too much power in an office that might be held by the opposition.

7:50 AM
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Andrew,
I'll be interested to see what the "big announcement" that Warwick Mayor Scott Avedesian will make this afternoon. Speculation is that he may be running for Lt. Governor or Sec. of State. Given the fact that the RIGOP supposedly wanted Laffey to run for these positions as the "next step on the ladder", it may be safe to assume that such an argument has prevailed in the case of Avedesian. It'll be interesting to see.

Posted by: Marc Comtois at October 25, 2005 9:38 AM

the fruits of his labor in warwick are finally coming to past. he is staying in the city.

atleast i hope he is...
(warwick resident)

Posted by: Robert at October 25, 2005 10:00 AM

Robert, Got some inside info?

Posted by: Marc Comtois at October 25, 2005 1:51 PM

And to think that Carcieri "offered" the position of Lt. Governor, to Steve Laffey, as a way of keeping him out of the US Senate race.
Given his own comments on the postion, it certainly makes the Governor look rather disingenuous, wouldn't you say??

Posted by: Jim at October 25, 2005 2:09 PM

Personally, I think he'd be better to run for another term as Mayor in Warwick. If he doesn't, it's almost sure to flip over to a democrat there. The only other statewide alternative that I've heard seriously discussed is that of SoS. We'll see.

Posted by: Will at October 25, 2005 3:07 PM