By Sam Wroblewski WPRO.com
Primary Day 2014 marked some big shifts in Rhode Island’s election landscape. Many household names in the political scene (namely Michael Solomon, Frank Caprio and Ralph Mollis) got the cold shoulder from voters and “outsider” candidates clinched their respective nominations.
As the dust begins to settle, what initial insights can be gleaned from Tuesday night’s vote?
Independent voters may have been a deciding factor
While the Board of Elections has not released any data on voter turnout as of yet, independent voter participation potentially had a big impact on the race.
As stated before, several “old guard” political candidates were defeated, and in one instance by a very large margin (Seth Magaziner’s win over Frank Caprio). One explanation for this outcome might be that independents flooded the Democratic primary.
WPRI pollster Joe Fleming said the theory is a good one.
“There’s no data out yet, but when 127,000 voters turnout in a midterm election a good number of Independents were a part of it,” said Fleming.
Additionally, a flood of Independent voters to the Democratic primary meant there were less independents voting for Republicans, which some say was an advantage to Mayor Allen Fung.
WPRO’s Matt Allen predicted before the polls closed that with both primary races so close, Independents would be a deciding factor:
“If independent voters decide in great numbers to enter the GOP primary, it will benefit Ken Block and actually make the democrat primary more competitive between all three candidates on that side. If more independent voters enter into the Democrat primary, it could be big for Gina Raimondo and give her the extra support she needs to break her 36ish percent ceiling with democrat voters.”
Would a united Labor Union front have changed the outcome?
According to SEIU Local 580 President Phil Keefe, yes it would have.
Keefe believes had the collective Labor Unions united behind one candidate, Raimondo would not have gotten the nomination.
“If you look at history when the labor community has been divided, we get [Don] Carcieri and other like him,” said Keefe.
Keefe told WPRO News that he will be calling Fung to discuss possible common ground, because “support[ing] Raimondo would be political suicide.”
Whether or not the labor unions will have a positive relationship with the state’s executive office remains to be seen, but Keefe said he is willing to try.
“I never, never, never have been accused of not sitting down at the table,” said Keefe.
The Providence turns on Taveras
It’s been a bad year the Taveras administration. Whether it was pot holes in the city or a perceived rise in gang violence and other violent crimes, Taveras never seemed to catch a break. And it might have hurt him.
According to the Board of Election results, Raimondo won in Providence and neighboring Pawtucket; two Taveras strongholds. While Raimondo’s leads in both cities were not large, to lose on your home turf is indicative of some discontent moving through the Capital City.
One WPRO listener commented saying the people of Providence have felt betrayed because Taveras promised not to raise taxes.
Whatever the reason, it seems Providence has soured on Angel Taveras.
