Primary could be game changer

Posted 9/4/14

There’s a lot at stake next Tuesday.

That’s easy to conclude from the television ads and the direct mailers from just about every statewide candidate facing a primary. But while the “big …

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Primary could be game changer

Posted

There’s a lot at stake next Tuesday.

That’s easy to conclude from the television ads and the direct mailers from just about every statewide candidate facing a primary. But while the “big money” races for governor, treasurer and secretary of state dominate the airwaves, there are also five primary contests on the local ballot, headlined by the Republican contest for the mayoral nomination that pits incumbent Scott Avedisian, now running for his eighth term, against political newcomer Stacia Petri.

There are Democratic primaries for City Council in Wards 7 and 2, a Republican contest in Ward 3 and a Democratic face-off in House District 22, where the incumbent, Frank Ferri, is not seeking re-election. Ferri is one of three Democrats vying for the party’s nomination for lieutenant governor.

Petri has mounted a spirited campaign for mayor, getting out to meet voters and using Facebook to comment almost hourly on city developments and push her message that 14 years of increased taxes is enough. Avedisian has countered with his own Facebook page, which is restrained and filled with feel-good comments and photos by comparison. He is emphasizing his financial stewardship, the city’s quality of life and economic development.

And while the mayoral campaign has gained visibility not just because of all the lawn signs, but also because of media coverage and an hour-long debate between the two, they are playing to a relatively small audience. Of the 60,000 registered Warwick voters, about 10 percent are Republicans. The greatest block of registered voters is unaffiliated. What’s unpredictable is how many will choose to vote in the primary and whether they will cast ballots in the Republican or Democratic primary.

This has not only cast an element of uncertainty into the Republican nomination for mayor, but also raised questions over the turnout in other races. Could, for example, the race for mayor pull away unaffiliated voters, who if they voted as Democrats, could decide the outcomes in the two council races or that for House District 22?

Reflecting on the campaign Tuesday, Avedisian said he hasn’t been in a contest like this before and called it “weird.” He said he has held his traditional clamcake and chowder events at senior housing complexes, gone door-to-door campaigning in different neighborhoods and sent out direct mail flyers to registered Republicans.

He said he has found considerable “excitement” over developments at Rocky Point, the announcement that the Rhode Island Mall will become an outlet mall and the “boutique” hotel planned for Apponaug. He said he also heard questions about the Apponaug Circulator and how its series of five roundabouts would work.

He said he was not questioned about taxes, nor the city’s “crumbling schools” and “pot-hole filled roads” that Petri has pledged to repair if elected. Petri likewise sent out a flyer to Republicans in which she pledges to “open the city books and promote transparency,” as well as repair schools and restore school programs while holding the line on taxes.

Petri said she’s picking up a different message from voters than that heard by Avedisian.

“The number one thing I hear is that it’s time we need a change, we can’t continue the way we’re going,” she said yesterday. “People are fed up.”

This is Petri’s first bid for an elective office, and she said the experience has been “rewarding, fulfilling, eye-opening and emotional.” The campaign did not interrupt her wedding to Jay Huyler this past weekend, although it did put on hold her honeymoon. Should she win the primary, she said she would not change her name until after the general election.

The strategy at both the citywide level for mayor and among those running for council and the House seats has been to identify potential supporters and target them.

In Ward 7, where incumbent Charles Donovan Jr. faces a challenge from Kathleen Usler, both candidates have concentrated on their longtime knowledge of the ward and involvement in local organizations as their base. As there are no Republican or independent candidates running, the winner in Tuesday’s Democratic primary will be the next Ward 7 council member. Both candidates have lawn signs and are walking the ward.

In another of the more active local primary campaigns, Joseph Solomon Jr., the son of the Ward 4 councilman by the same name, faces Jennifer Siciliano for the Democratic nomination for House District 22. The winner will go on to face Republican Ralph Leone. Siciliano, a planner for the city of Woonsocket, and Solomon, who left his job at the State House, have named the economy and jobs as key issues.

The Democratic primary campaign in Ward 2 and the Republican primary in Ward 3 have been strangely lopsided.

Ward 2 incumbent Thomas Chadronet has not returned repeated phone calls over the last three weeks and has not been accessible for interviews, while his opponent, Michael Zarum, has been going door-to-door and actively defining what he considers critical issues facing the ward. The winner of the primary will go on to be the councilman, as there are no Republican or independent candidates.

In Ward 3, John Falkowski of Everglade Avenue has been accessible. His campaign signs are sprinkled throughout the ward. His opponent, Henry Williams Jr. of Julian Road, could not be reached for comment. There isn’t even a sign of his candidacy on his property.

Polls open at 7 a.m. Tuesday and close at 8 p.m.

According to Dottie McCarthy of the Board of Canvassers, 225 to 230 poll workers will staff the city’s 33 polls. Workers, who are required to report at 6:15 a.m. and can expect to finish the day by 8:45 p.m., are paid $150 to $200.

“We’re always looking for good poll workers,” said McCarthy. She said the 3-Rs are what she looks for in poll workers – responsible, reasonably intelligent and reliable.

McCarthy put the cost of conducting the primary at about $50,000, which is not much different than the cost of the general election.

“It’s the same amount of work for us whether there’s a turnout or nobody shows up,” she said.

Given the board had issued 376 absentee ballots as of Tuesday, or about half of 1 percent of the city’s registered voters, McCarthy concludes, despite all the attention given to the primary contests, it would seem not many people are paying attention.

Tuesday will tell and conceivably, as some think possible, a relatively small group of voters could decide the outcome.

Comments

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  • Scal1024

    The only game changer in this primary has been the local media's obsession with defending the mayor. Article after article on the apponaug connector, the "progress" at Rocky Point, the mayors "positive" campaign. All while putting a lack of real attention on city schools. John Howell has had a busy election season...but not for reasons you'd think. He's been spinning himself dizzy trying to defend this mayor, at the same time discrediting Stacia Petri's entire campaign.

    When it came time to debate... Mr. Howell wanted to restrict the amount of people in attendance from each campaign in order to promote fairness. Fairness to who? The 14 year incumbent is more than capable of filling seats in a senior center. It was the new candidate on the scene that made Mr. Howell nervous. All the energy is on Stacia's side....we can't show the people of Warwick that this candidate has momentum. So instead Mr. Howell decided to have the debate at the very popular 2pm Friday timeslot. Not every person in Warwick can ask Dave Picozzi if they can use an hour of sick time to attend the debate, most of us have real jobs where that is not possible. I wouldn't expect Mr. Howell or the mayor to understand that, they are both out of touch with what everyday people are going through.

    The mayor doesn't deserve to win this election. He has run a relatively empty campaign, with a look toward the past as his only "vision". John Howell and the mayor represent an old way of thinking. A way of thinking that has led us into this mess. The reason they have dug in so hard is because they see that way of thinking threatened. For the last 14 years the Beacon has printed nothing but fluff pieces about this mayor and the great job he has done. They have declined to go into details on our general fund being raided, the constant property tax increases, schools that are in terrible condition, the overall debt the city has hanging over it's head. Why write the truth when it's much easier for Mr. Howell to spin? Change needs to come to Warwick. It's about time the young citizens of this city come out and vote to make a difference. It's time to tell this hack John Howell, and his indifferent boss (the mayor) to retire. Warwick would be better off!

    Sunday, September 7, 2014 Report this

  • patientman

    I have been posting for years that Howell is nothing but a lapdog for the mayor. It's sad that his grandchildren will have to grow up in shame.

    Tuesday, September 9, 2014 Report this

  • bloodhound

    Where's Chadronet?

    Constituent's criticize him for not returning calls for months,

    Warwick Beacon calls him and he doesn't return calls to the Beacon/

    ProJo calls him for an interview and he's not available to them either.

    Then it turns out he's vacationing in Europe while his insiders conduct his campaign.

    Upon return from Europe, he misses a Zoning meeting where more than 18 of his constituents were disapointed .

    And he did not attend a City Council meeting this week and he missed a very important vote.

    Chadronet simply is not doing his job as a council member,

    The Warwick Becaon, after extending a courtesy to Mr. Chadronet by repeatedly calling him for free publicity, Chadroney disses two media outlets and one writes as it is, "Ward 2 incumbent Thomas Chadronet has not returned repeated phone calls over the last three weeks and has not been accessible for interviews, while his opponent, Michael Zarum, has been going door-to-door and actively defining what he considers critical issues facing the ward. The winner of the primary will go on to be the councilman, as there are no Republican or independent candidates."

    Thursday, September 18, 2014 Report this