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January 11, 2012
Loughlin Not Running
John Loughlin's campaign just released this statement:
Two years ago, when I ran for Congress, I said: "The City of Providence is bankrupt and that you (David Cicilline) are deliberately hiding this fact from the people of Rhode Island. I am concerned that for political reasons your campaign for Congress is causing you to act in such a way as to conceal the budget problems facing the city of Providence, making them worse in the process."I believe its time to hold David Cicciline accountable not just for the mess he left in Providence, but for the more than $300,000 dollars in taxpayer money we paid him to sit in Washington to deliver nothing but more partisan rhetoric, gridlock and empty campaign promises. In fact, I believe that the number one task facing Rhode Islanders voters in the coming election year is to hold all our politicians accountable.
While I had intended to begin my campaign for Congress upon my return from Iraq, it has become abundantly clear to me that the best way for the Rhode Island Republicans to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory is to conduct a long and divisive primary election in RI-01. I will, therefore, not seek the nomination of my party for Congress. I will have no part in any activity that would enable David Cicciline to remain my Congressman.
My bid for Congress was motivated by a desire for service, not the desire for a new title. I have a long history of service both politically and in the military — in short, I wasn't running to "be” a Congressman, I was running to fix our state and strengthen our Nation.
I want to publicly thank Mike Napolitano, Eileen Grossman and Scott Morrison for keeping the political flame burning while I was serving in Iraq.
I also want to thank the many prominent Republicans who endorsed my campaign, especially Leader Newberry and his colleagues in the Rhode Island House and Senate. In addition, I want to thank those prominent Republicans who withheld any endorsement until I returned from Iraq and could at least respond, most notably Administrator Almond, Mayor Fontaine, Mayor Fung, Mayor Avedisian, and National Committeeman Joseph Trillo. Their loyalty means a great deal to me and meant a great deal to my family while I was deployed.
Thank you also to the many supporters who have also stayed loyal to me as well. In particular the many Town Republican Chairmen and women who recognize that the way to build a party is to reward hard work and stand with those who have worked shoulder to shoulder with them to save our state. Too often Republicans as a party, trivialize loyalty, dedication to service, and party building.
I want to thank my family who dealt with running the household while I was running for office and later while deployed to Iraq. They supported me, literally, in war and peace.
Most importantly, I want to thank the people of Rhode Island for their support and their belief that we must return accountable government to our state. While I don't know what the future will hold, I know that together we can turn our state around and create the kind of Rhode Island for our children that will make them proud of our service together.
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Ok, that's shocking and not really. It's shocking that it did happen, especially with all the back and forth we saw between the supporters in both the Loughlin and Doherty camps.
It's not shocking in that when Doherty announced, many (myself included) immediately thought that maybe Loughlin isn't running again.
Many people believe that a primary between Loughlin and Doherty was going to serve the good of no one, except David Cicilline.
The other thing that I find glaring in Loughlin's release is what is missing. There's a name missing. Not a single mention of the only currently announced Republican candidate for CD1, Brendan Doherty. Does Loughlin support Doherty's candidacy? I recently heard Mark Zaccaria on the radio talking about how important it is to keep former candidates involved in the process even after they drop out or lose a primary. Loughlin has a great many contacts and a huge ability to raise funds. Will he put his knowledge to work for Doherty?
Posted by: Patrick at January 11, 2012 8:49 AM"The other thing that I find glaring in Loughlin's release is what is missing."
The name was very conspicuously absent. Before even reading your comment, it was my number one takeaway from the statement.
Posted by: Dan at January 11, 2012 10:00 AMPeople-please give John a chance to think about what's next before attaching possibly undue significance to a "missing"name.
Posted by: joe bernstein at January 11, 2012 11:08 AMI believe he acted very unselfishly for what he sees as the greater good-namely Cicilline facing an opponent unhurt by a tough primary.
I have personal liking and respect for both John and Brendan and unmitigated disgust for Cicilline.
A Loughlin-Doherty primary was something
I didn't look forward to-now maybe little Chichi will be in a brutal struggle with Gemma.Gemma has plenty of ammo while Cicilline has little to attack Gemma with-and there's always the silly radical David Segal who has a certain following among younger left wing voters.
A Demoncrat bloodbath-what a nice thought.
A certain Charles Drago over at GoLocalProv has been routinely accusing Loughlin of serving in Iraq as a political ploy to get votes-Drago sounds like he's out of it on this issue,but I think he owes Loughlin a public apology(fat chance!!)because John's Iraq service virtually guaranteed he wouldn't be competitive financially in the Congressional race.
Jouhn Loughlin is a true patriot and gentleman.
Joe - Drago is a conspiracy-theory lunatic who posts online because he (mistakenly) believes it will benefit him politically. He trashed Taveras for frivolous reasons on RIFuture on a daily basis simply because he was betting on another candidate. He relentlessly accused me of being somebody called "Bobby O", apparently somebody from RI's political past I've never heard of, and nothing could convince him that I was not the person. Drago is on another planet and I'm guessing it's a very lonely place.
Posted by: Dan at January 11, 2012 12:12 PMIs he hoping to be "drafted"?
Posted by: Warrington Faust at January 11, 2012 4:22 PMWould have liked to see Col. Doherty take on Sen. Whitehouse.....oh well.
Posted by: brassband at January 11, 2012 7:18 PMAs a member of the Loughlin kitchen cabinet, the timing of the announcement by Loughlin today did come as a surprise to many of us, but not the contents. I think many of us expected it given any number of factors.
It's going to be a very difficult race for any Republican to win, mainly as a result of the recent redistricting, coupled with the national race in 2012. If you add a potentially divisive and very costly primary battle, the chances of it even gets worse. Doherty is going to have his work cut out for him, as well as Anthony Gemma on the other side. This is no sure thing by a long shot for Doherty.
I can very much confirm that Loughlin has nothing but disdain for Cicilline, and he meant every word when he stated, "I will have no part in any activity that would enable David Cicilline to remain my Congressman." I and many others very much share that sentiment.
Posted by: Will at January 11, 2012 8:59 PMLoughlin is a class act. I still cannot understand why Doherty selfishly jumped into and ruined Loughlin's race. Doherty's dubious judgment may ultimately help Cicilline in the main election.
Let's hope Loughlin chooses to run in another campaign in the future.
Posted by: Bill at January 11, 2012 11:05 PMMaybe John came home and realized much of his "team" was trying to run a FB campaign by harassing people and sending former supporters running to the Doherty camp in between playing Farmville and Bejeweled Blitz all day. Raising zero funds for his CONGRESSIONAL campaign while hoping John's name recognition with Cicilline's low approval rating would be enough to slide him into congress with them on his coattails. Now these boobs will likely (finally) have a Republican Congressman they can't even communicate with because they bashed him so relentlessly for the last 8 months.
Posted by: Reality Check at January 11, 2012 11:45 PM"Loughlin is a class act. I still cannot understand why Doherty selfishly jumped into and ruined Loughlin's race. Doherty's dubious judgment may ultimately help Cicilline in the main election.Let's hope Loughlin chooses to run in another campaign in the future."
Sorry Bill, I voted for Loughlin before but I'm not buying Doherty ruined Loughlin's race nor that Doherty was being selfish. Who ruined Loughlin's race last election. If Loughlin was the incumbent, it would be a different story. I would have liked to see Doherty run against Sheldon as well but I don't have a problem with him choosing the office that gives him the best chance.
Posted by: Max D at January 12, 2012 7:23 AMLet's not kid ourselves, Doherty is an unproven candidate looking to enter a winnable race. Whitehouse didn't bring Providence to its knees and has money. He hasn't made significant political snafus in during his time in office. While it'll be a cold day in hell before I vote for Whitehouse personally, anyone running against him will have a difficult challenge. Period.
And then consider Cicilline didn't get close to 60 percent of the vote in 2010 against a challenger who didn't have much money. If I were Doherty and if I knew I would be able to fundraise as he has, I'd jump into the Cicilline race 10 times out of 10. It's a winnable race - using RI standards of 'winnable' for Republicans - and it's probably the best opportunity the Republicans have had to win a congressional seat since Lincoln Chafee in 2006.
So, I applaud Loughlin for bowing out of the race in order to defeat Cicilline. Even if Doherty had won a hard fought primary, I'm sure Loughlin would have poked enough holes in him such that it would have given fodder to the Cicilline team.
Instead, hopefully the Democrats have the bloodbath primary and if the former mayor survives, hopefully Doherty will be able to come out swinging.
2012 gives RI a chance to oust Cicilline and it may not happen again.
Posted by: don roach at January 12, 2012 8:03 AMGemma was on target about the evil ways of the disgusting little f**k last time,but he couldn't quite win over the drooling geriatrics gobbling the lobster rolls and sucking in Cicilliine's lies.Let Gemma do as much damage as he can now that the rotteness in Providence has been unearthed so that even if Cicilline wins the primary,Doherty will be able to pop him like the pus pimple that he is.
Posted by: joe bernstein at January 12, 2012 11:14 AMI think there's no doubt Brendan Doherty can represent RI with integrity and class.
Joe,I wish I would have real representation,but I always get outvoted.
I understand the frustration and anger so well.
Posted by: helen at January 15, 2012 1:19 AM