Democratic candidate for Governor of Rhode Island Gina Raimondo rallies supporters in the Olneyville section of Providence Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2014. Photo by Steve Klamkin WPRO News
By Steve Klamkin WPRO News
With under a week to go in her campaign for governor, Democrat Gina Raimondo shifted her focus to the “get out the vote” effort.
“I’m so deeply grateful in your faith in me,” she told about a hundred supporters Wednesday in an Olneyville mill building.
“Here we go, here we go people. Are you ready to drag this over the finish line,” she asked an enthusiastic crowd of business, labor and social service leaders. They gathered inside Contech Medical, Inc. on Hartford Ave., which describes itself as a provider of medical device contract manufacturing and assembly services.
“She understands the most simple word there is, jobs, jobs, jobs. That’s what this state needs,” said Scott Duhamel, Business Representative for the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, and Secretary Treasurer of the Rhode Island Building and Construction Trades, one of the leaders who introduced Raimondo.
Raimondo drew a contrast with her Republican opponent, Cranston Mayor Allan Fung, who pledges to cut taxes to spark business and job growth in Rhode Island.
“We’re not going to cut our way out of this mess, and we’re not going to tax our way out of this mess either, we’re not going to raise taxes, either. We’re going to grow. You want to know how to raise revenue? Create 40,000 jobs for people that are out of work, that’s how we’re going to do it,” she said to a round of applause.
Raimondo squares off in next Tuesday’s election against Republican Fung and Moderate Party candidate Robert Healey. Also on the ballot for the Nov. 4 election are Independent candidates for Governor Kate Fletcher and Leon Kayarian.
