Fun With Insomnia Blog

Political winds, pushed by unemployment turbulence, are blowing in Rhode Island, home of a congressional district that a mere two years ago was considered safely Democratic but now is competitive.

The seat being vacated by Patrick Kennedy has been in Democratic hands for all but a scant six years since 1941. While four Democratic candidates are vying to be the party’s nominee Tuesday, the leading Republican candidate keeps reminding voters that the state has an unemployment rate ofಌ percent, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Professor Leonard Lardaro, an economist at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, said voters are angry at incumbents but couldn’t commit to a Republican win.

“The question for Rhode Island is how mad are people going to be in November?” Lardaro said.

Six people — four Democrats and two Republicans — are running for the chance to get the voters’ blessing to succeed Kennedy.

Democrats are current Providence mayor, David Cicilline, David Segal, a consumer rights attorney, plumbing businessman Anthony Gemma and Bill Lynch, state Democratic Party chairman from 1998 until February.

On the Republican ballot are John Loughlin II, a three-term state representative and House minority whip, and Karen Russo, a former South Kingstown Chamber of Commerce board member.

Challenging incumbent 2nd Congressional District Rep. James Langevin are Elizabeth Dennigan, an emergency nurse and political lawyer who spent 13 years in the General Assembly, and Ernie Greco, a university professor.

Dennigan, who moved to the 2nd Congressional District shortly before filing, says Langevin is a nice guy, but not effective, The Providence Journal reported. Citing power rankings compiled by Roll Call, Dennigan notes Langevin ranked 331 of the 435 House members.

“When you look at someone running for office,” she said, “you don’t just want to hear about what they co-sponsored or what they have supported. You want to hear: What have you done? That’s up to Jim Langevin to talk about: What has he done?”

Langevin, seeking his sixth two-year term, said, “First of all, I find it interesting that after representing the people of East Providence and Pawtucket in the General Assembly, she decided to leave in the middle of her term. But Rhode Island has many wonderful places to live, including Narragansett, and I want to welcome Betsy to the 2nd District.”

Greco said the Democratic Party has moved too far to the left, citing “excessive federal spending” as an example.

“I think we need a more independent-minded representative that represents the values of the district more than the party leadership,” he said, adding Langevin voted with a majority of his Democratic colleagues 99 percent of the time during the current congressional session.

Another national issue with local ramification — healthcare — is coloring the Rhode Island gubernatorial race as well.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act gives states a lot of leeway in deciding how to implement some of its provisions.

Independent Lincoln D. Chafee, Democrat Frank T. Caprio and Moderate Party candidate Kenneth J. Block all accept the law — albeit with varying degrees of enthusiasm — and all pledge to carry it out fully if given the chance to be Rhode Island’s governor, The Providence Journal said. Republicans John F. Robitaille and Victor G. Moffitt likely would resist implementation, with both saying they believe the law is unconstitutional.

The non-partisan Cook Political Report, New York Times and CQ Politics rate the gubernatorial election in November as a toss-up. Incumbent Republican Gov. Don Carcieri is not running because of term limits.

Republicans have won seven of the past nine gubernatorial elections in the otherwise Democratic-dominated Rhode Island.

While pundits say a short list of GOP candidates may jeopardize the party’s chances of keeping the office, CQ Politics said Democrats shouldn’t measure for drapes because of the candidacy of Chafee, a former Republican considered the most liberal GOP member of the Senate during his 1999-2006 tenure.