Quick Takes on RI Reps: How Conservative was David Caprio?

Rep. David Caprio of Narragansett and South Kingstown is frequently labeled a DINO -- a Democrat in Name Only -- by Rhode Island’s progressives. However, his score of 2 according to the Anchor Rising legislative ratings places him on the end of scale inhabited by many progressives. The only vote he received positive credit for was his vote for pension reform, a measure that won support from several legislators not generally considered be DINOs, like Michael Rice from South Kingstown (0), Edith Ajello of Providence and Edwin Pacheco from Burrillville/Glocester (both 1s).

Beyond the pension reform vote, Rep. Caprio voted against start-up funding for Mayoral academies, against both unfunded mandate relief amendments offered as part of this year’s budget, in favor of the budget article to implement this year’s car-tax changes, and in favor of the Teachers’ Health Insurance Board. Apparently, it doesn’t take much to get labeled as an irredeemable conservative against the background of RI politics.