Rhode Island GOP

RIGOP Chair Candidate (Third of Three): Mark Zaccaria

By Monique Chartier | December 20, 2011 |

On Wednesday evening, the RIGOP will be choosing a new Chair. Anchor Rising is profiling each of the candidates. This is Mark Zaccaria. Background Mark Zaccaria is a lifelong Republican whose campaign experience dates back to his High School days, distributing literature for Barry Goldwater’s run for President. Mark’s campaign experience also extends forward to…

RIGOP Chair Candidate (Second of Three): Raymond McKay

By Monique Chartier | December 19, 2011 |

On Wednesday evening, the RIGOP will be choosing a new Chair. Anchor Rising is profiling each of the candidates. This is Raymond McKay. Background Military Service: 11 years United States Army 21G Pershing Electronic Material Specialist and 74F Computer Programmer Work: 19 years working in MIS for the City of Warwick – network and telecom…

RIGOP Chair Candidate (First of Three): Tina McKendall

By Monique Chartier | December 19, 2011 |

On Wednesday evening, the RIGOP will be choosing a new Chair. Anchor Rising is profiling each of the candidates. This is Tina McKendall. Background I am a member of the Rhode Island small business community, an employer, the mother of three children, a wife, sister, friend and neighbor. My husband, Don, and I have been…

Ken McKay: “… this is a difficult decision”

By Monique Chartier | November 27, 2011 |

As Andrew notes, Ken McKay has resigned as Chairman of the RIGOP. Will Ricci of the Ocean State Republican advises that Ken has accepted a [*cough*paying*cough*] position in Washington, DC which, naturally, precludes his continuation as Chair. Below is the e-mail by which Ken advised the RIGOP Executive Committee of his decision. As dictated by…

Ken McKay Resigns as RI GOP Chair

By Carroll Andrew Morse | November 27, 2011 |

Dan McGowan of GoLocalProv tweeted about an hour ago that Ken McKay has resigned as Rhode Island Republican State Chairman, to take a job as Chief-of-Staff for Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin (since updated to Senior Advisor). Acting Chairman Steve Frias says there will be an election for a new chair during the week of…

State Republican Primary to Stay Open

By Monique Chartier | November 16, 2011 |

Turn-out to the RIGOP meeting tonight in Cranston was, I’m pleased to report, very heavy. The list of speakers (none of whom I heard, regrettably, as I arrived just as the voting started) included former Governor Don Carcieri, who spoke in favor of keeping the primary open. In the end, the vote tally was 108…

Dave Talan: Close the Primary

By Engaged Citizen | November 15, 2011 |

[Tomorrow, the RIGOP will consider a resolution to close its primary; i.e., the requirement that a voter must have been registered as a Republican for at least ninety days in order to vote in a Republican primary in Rhode Island. This afternoon, Dave Talan sent the following e-mail with his thoughts on the subject.] I…

Can You Focus on Cicilline, Please?

By Patrick Laverty | October 6, 2011 |

I’ve been meaning to put up a post asking both the Loughlin and Doherty campaigns if it is possible to focus on one thing, winning the Congressional District 1 seat. Is that possible? Why is it required to tear each other apart as a part of the race? And now, why is it necessary to…

Doherty to Announce Big News Tomorrow

By Carroll Andrew Morse | October 2, 2011 |

Ron St. Pierre has tweeted, within the hour, that Col. Brendan Doherty will appear on WPRO’s (630 AM) Buddy Cianci show tomorrow at 4 pm to make a “‘big news’ announcement”. (h/t Jon Pincince, who wonders if it might be just about the biggest news possible, a change from the First to the Second district…

Some Sounds from the John Loughlin Fundraiser — And One Very Direct Follow Up

By Carroll Andrew Morse | September 26, 2011 |

If there was one message directed to the general public coming out of the John Loughlin fundraiser held in East Providence last evening, it was that, despite any rumors that might be heard to the contrary, former State Representative Loughlin will definitely be running for Rhode Island’s First District Congressional seat upon his return from…