May 19, 2006

RI Governor '06

Michaud to Challenge Carcieri II

Marc Comtois

As previously mentioned, Dan Yorke reported yesterday that Brown Economics Professor and Beacon Mutual advisor Dennis Michaud had filed papers to run against Governor Carcieri in the Republican Gubernatorial primary. Now the ProJo has provided further information.

Michaud...said he decided to challenge Carcieri because of the incumbent's "failed economic performance" and "failed performance to deliver on jobs."

"I just think there is no leadership up at the State House that I can see because I've worked with the Carcieri administration. I've done a lot of work in the administration," Michaud said, and "I just don't think the governor is an effective leader."

Michaud said he plans a formal announcement at 2 p.m. on Tuesday at either the State House or Prospect Park...

Michaud yesterday declined to name his backers, but he said he has "support in the Brown community and local business community" and has also "talked with past chairmen of the Republican party, so these are some serious people."

...Richard Reed, deputy director of the state Economic Development Corporation, confirmed that his agency was one of the sponsors of a one-day conference hosted by Brown's corporate-governance research program, and that Michaud was one of eight volunteers on a work group that helped guide the spinoff, from the EDC, of the Quonset Development Corporation.

Beyond that, Reed said Michaud's description of his work for the Carcieri administration was "more generous than I would characterize it."

Late yesterday, Carcieri campaign manager Tim Costa issued this statement: "There are now three candidates running for governor in the November election: the Republican candidate, the Democratic candidate and the Beacon Mutual/labor-insider candidate."

"Sadly, Mr. Michaud's purported candidacy proves that the insiders responsible for the mismanagement and possible criminal activity at Beacon Mutual will stop at nothing to protect themselves from public scrutiny," Costa said.

The ProJo also provided a good summation of the history of the back-and-forth between Michaud and the Carcieri Administration over Beacon Mutual.

8:15 AM
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The last gasps of an effort to perpetuate the failed status quo. They will win some short-term battles but will lose increasingly more over time as the status quo is unsustainable and people now know it.

Posted by: Donald B. Hawthorne at May 19, 2006 8:36 AM

This is good for Carcieri. It should help motivate his base going into the general election against Fogarty.

I think we can all assume that the "Republican party chairmen" to whom Michaud refers is John Holmes who lost his board position at Beacon. I'm sure other Republicans encouraged Michaud, mainly the pro-port people from years ago who didn't get the union jobs that they were seeking after Carcieri spiked the idea.

Posted by: Anthony at May 19, 2006 9:17 AM

Where does Laffey stand on the port issue? It has been dead since Carcieri took office, but EDC has been drooling over the possibility for too many years to let it go completely once Carcieri's term expires.

Will Laffey go on the record as opposing the port as Chafee did?

Posted by: Anthony at May 19, 2006 5:22 PM

Noticed that Costa, Carcieri's campaign manager has submitted his resignation letter.

What's going on? Anyone know?

Posted by: Jenn at May 19, 2006 9:20 PM

Jenn hope it's true that Costa is out. Perhaps Gov. Carcieri is finally waking up. The governor needs top of the line political (national) people running his campaign.
This Michaud dude is entering the Republican primary race as a stalking horse for Carcieri's enemies, i.e. labor, casino, Rep party hacks like Jim Bennett John Holmes, etc.
If the governor (and his family) is to survive the coming onslaught of personal smears, ugly lies and sleazy innuendo designed to damage or outright destroy him and his reputation then he needs top of the line help.
Don Carcieri is not surviving with Tim Costa and Steve Kass running his show.
This state and our wallets desperately needs the governor to survive.
We also need to fight for him by keeping our friends and families and associates infomed and inspired on the issues.
The governor can't fight this fight all by himself.
Wake up Rhode Islanders!

Posted by: Tim at May 20, 2006 7:43 AM

Dear Tim,

Do you remember what General Colin Powell once said about the Iraqi Army? Let me refresh your memory: "First, we are going to cut it off. Then, we are going to kill it."

No I know the Iraqi Army folks would be offended if I compared them to RI's GOP Revolution, since the Iraqi Army was more successful, but I think you get the idea.

The best part is, you as a member of the RI GOP have to deal with something the Iraqi's never did: full scale mutiny.

Posted by: Bobby Oliveira at May 20, 2006 8:05 AM

Bobby,

I am not a member of the RIGOP for this very reason. While I politically am definitely a Republican I will not join a party full of disloyal self serving political career building backstabbing creeps like Steve Laffey Jim Bennett John Holmes Bernie Jackvony and flaming racists like David Quiroa. This is not a new conversation on this site Bobby. People like me and Anthony see this dysfunctional "party" for what it is and have for a long time. They want to destroy a good man like Don Carcieri?
That would only confirm my justifiable suspicions about the RI Republican party and just how "Republican" they are. It's why I have never joined them and will never join them.
It's also why I'll never vote for self serving creeps like Steve Laffey despite my political bent.
Never!

Posted by: Tim at May 20, 2006 9:19 AM