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| RHODE
ISLAND |
Nov. 2,
2010 Governor |
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Plurality:
8,660
votes (2.53 percentage points).
RI Board of ElectionsINDEPENDENT PICK UP Notes: Gov. Don Carcieri (R) was term-limited. A three-person race developed. Former U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee (I) finished just ahead of businessman John Robitaille (R), while Treasurer Frank Caprio (D)'s campaign sagged in the closing week. Businessman Ken Block, founder of the Moderate Party of Rhode Island, obtained 6.5% of the vote. Three independents rounded out the field, obtaining less than 1-percent. After a brief exploratory effort, Chafee announced his candidacy as an Independent on April 28, 2009. Chafee left the Republican Party in Sept. 2007. He was appointed as a Republican to the U.S. Senate in 1999 following the death of his father Sen. John Chafee and elected to a full term in 2000, but defeated in his 2006 re-election bid. Previously he served as Mayor of Warwick (1992-99) and a member of the Warwick City Council (1986-92). Robitaille formally announced his candidacy in Jan. 2010. He had been serving as senior advisor for communications to Gov. Carcieri. He founded (1987) and ran a marketing and communications company in Providence and earlier worked in labor relations and served in the U.S. Army. Robitaille also ran unsuccessfully for state representative in 2006. In the Sept. 14 primary Robitaille easily defeated Victor Moffitt by 70.2% to 29.8%. Caprio launched his campaign on June 10, 2010. He was elected Treasurer in 2006 after serving in the state legislature since 1991. Caprio's father had considerable political experience as Chief Judge of the Municipal Court of Providence and earlier on the Providence City Council. Caprio was the only candidate on the Sept. 14 Democratic primary ballot; Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch had also sought the Democratic nomination, but ended his campaign on July 14. Block was president of Simpatico Software Systems and the force behind the Moderate Party. Before the primary, on June 10, six candidates—Republicans Robitaille and Moffitt, Democrats Caprio and Lynch, Chafee, and Block debated at University of Rhode Island in Kingston (>). Block, Caprio, Chafee and Robitaille participated in a debate sponsored by the Environment Council of Rhode Island at Providence College on Sept. 28 (>). Block, Caprio, Chafee and Robitaille participated in the first televised general election debate, hosted by WPRI12 and The Providence Journal on Oct. 7. The seven candidates debated at Bryant University in Smithfield organized by the LWV of RI and broadcast by ABC6 on Oct. (>). Caprio generated controversy on Oct. 25. After President Obama declined to endorse him, Caprio declared "he can take the endorsement and shove it." (Obama was friendly with Chafee, who had endorsed him ahead of the Rhode Island March 4, 2008 presidential primary). The campaign closed with outside visits. Former President Bill Clinton rallied with Caprio in Providence on Oct. 31, former Gov. Mitt Romney rallied with Robitaille in Cranston on Nov. 1, and NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg made a stop at Chafee's headquarters in Warwick on Nov. 1. Campaign Managers: Lincoln Chafee: J.R. Pagliarini (Jan. 4, 2010, resigned Oct. 14, 2010) Interim director of the Rhode Island College Foundation and Associate Commissioner of the RI Board of Governors for Higher Education, Apr. 2008-Aug. 2009. Deputy chief of staff to Gov. Donald Carcieri, Feb. 2007-Apr. 2008. State director to Sen. Chafee, May 2003-Jan. 2007. Director of government relations for United Healthcare of New England, Dec. 1998-May 2003. Director of communications/community development director for the City of Warwick, Feb. 1993-Dec. 1998. Public relations assistant for Strategy Corporation, Jan. 1991-Jan. 1993. Press office manager/executive aide/policy associate for Gov. Edward DiPrete, June 1986-May 1990. B.A. in political science from Fairfield University. Mike Trainor ...for final three weeks Frank Caprio: Xaykham Rexford Khamsyvoravong ("Xay") (May 2010) Deputy chief of staff in the Office of the General Treasurer Caprio, Jan. 2007-May 2010. Master's degree (2007) and B.A. in international relations (2006) from Brown University. John Robitaille: Andrew (Drew) Biemer Experience includes RNC Victory 2004 field director in Princeton, WV. Graduate of the University of Richmond. Ken Block: Christine Hunsinger, campaign director (Feb. 2010) Executive director of the Moderate Party of Rhode Island from Sept. 2009. M.P.A. from Brown University, 2008; B.A. in political science from Saint Anselm College, 1993. Grew up in New Hampshire and volunteered on presidential campaigns. See also: Linda Feldmann. "Top 10 Mistakes of Election 2010." Christian Science Monitor, Nov. 2, 2010. Stephanie Condon. "Frank Caprio: Obama Can Take His Endorsement and 'Shove It.'" CBS News, Oct. 25, 2010. Jessica Taylor. "R.I. Dem reportedly considered GOP." Politico, Sept. 14, 2010. "Frank Caprio...News, Analysis and Opinion from POLITICO," Politico. Press Release. "Moderate Party of Rhode Island Gubernatorial candidate Ken Block firms up campaign team." Ken Block for Governor via Independent Political Report, Apr. 26, 2010. Ray Henry. "His most difficult campaign was against an abusive priest." The Associated Press, Mar. 23, 2010. --. "New Moderate Party step away from 2010 ballot." Cranston Herald, Aug. 7, 2009. |
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