Roberts to Seek Re-election, Not Governorship
At least, that’s what I think the just-arrived press release indicates:
Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Roberts announced today that she will seek re-election, pledging to use her position to make health care affordable for every Rhode Islander. …
“I’ve spent the past few months exploring a run for governor, and I want to thank all of my supporters and let them know that I will continue to work to turn the page on politics as usual in Rhode Island,” Roberts said. “I will continue to fight for quality health care for all; a stronger, more diverse Rhode Island economy; and honest, open and effective government. These have been, and will continue to be, the focus of my public service.”
Roberts can spin this as reaffirming her commitment for fighting for her ideas on healthcare reform but call it what it is; a cold hard dose of reality that the rest of the Democratic field needs to catch on with. She cannot compete with the kind of momentum in both fundraising and organizing that Frank Caprio has been able to generate in the last 6 months. With 1.4 million cash on hand, his advantage is growing while Lynch and Roberts lag behind in more ways than one. If her decisions were based on fighting for the people of Rhode Island, she would be seeking an office with actual power and responsibilities rather than the million dollar wasteland above the men’s room at the statehouse. Instead, she has made a smart move to extend her political career for four more years.
I have to say I agree with the prior commenter — it’s all spin. I am honestly disppointed (cough, cough). She wasn’t term limited, it’s a crowded field of recognizable names, and she doesn’t have the ability to raise funds the same way as her likely opponents. I’m slightly disappointed we won’t get to rollout “Republicans for Roberts” though.
I guess she can go back to doing the “job about nothing.”
Yawn.
“will continue to work to turn the page on politics as usual in Rhode Island,” Roberts said. “I will continue to fight for quality health care for all; a stronger, more diverse Rhode Island economy;”
Isn’t it nice when a politician can just trot out all these things that she’s done and been working on with zero evidence or results? We don’t still have politics as usual in RI? We have quality health care for all, or at least we’re closer to that goal? We have a stronger and more diverse economy than 3 years ago? Huh? If by that she means a smaller economy, then yeah, she’s doing a bang up job.
Patrick,
That’s the beauty of being a Democrat politician.
You keep making things worse, and portray yourself and the programs your peddling will make things better.
Things get even worse, and so repeat to an even more receptive audience.
That’s why Obama and his Congressional lackeys don’t mind the fact that continuing to support teachers unions condemns minority children to poverty via poor education and skills … or their “cap and tax” scheme that will hobble our economy … or running the printing presses to foster inflation, perhaps hyper-inflation, wiping out the savings of the middle class.
In fact, they like it. To quote a statement reputedly made by Teresa Paiva Weed re: unionizing welfare daycare workers servicing anchor babies and such – for them it is “building a constituency.”
Think of it as the “progressives'” political Ponzi scheme.
Should have said:
You keep making things worse, and portray yourself and the programs YOU’RE peddling will make things better
(If you graduated from a public high school in the past 15 years you’re excused if you didn’t notice the grammatical error.)
What effect do you think this will have on Republican Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian’s plans?
Hi!
It will be interesting how this plays out. It appears as URI professor Maureen Moakley points out it helps Lynch.
However whoever is ahead at this time is this:
1. Interested in who the GOP comes up with. I am a GOP activist.
2.The Chafee factor, that can hurt the GOP with volunteers they normally or frequently get.
3.The Moderate Party factor unless they come up with a reasonably known candidate will get very low vote totals, enough perhaps to sink a candidate in a close race. I think they will get low vote totals anyway.
4. While it appears now either Lynch or Caprio will be the Dem nominee for Governor, other candidate(s) can siphen off votes to impact that race for that party’s nomination.
5. Elizabeth Roberts still has a potential/likely problem. Assume she is re-elected Lt. Governor, in four years she will be term limited. If there is an incumbent Dem Governor in office in 2014, she can’t ran again for Lt. Gov., and not really be eligible to move up for Governor. Maybe she will switch to another office as Secretary of State?
On another topic,In early October the North East Republican Leadership Conference is coming to Rhode Island at Newport.
Regards,
Scott
I hear the phone booths in Newport are top of the line.