It’s up to voters in heated primaries

By John Howell
Posted 9/8/16

With six primary races for City Council, state House of Representatives and Senate seats, and at-large positions on the School Committee, Warwick voters have no dearth of candidates to choose from in …

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It’s up to voters in heated primaries

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With six primary races for City Council, state House of Representatives and Senate seats, and at-large positions on the School Committee, Warwick voters have no dearth of candidates to choose from in next Tuesday’s primary election. The city’s all 33-poll locations open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

The plethora of contests and candidates is unrivaled in recent times, boosting speculation that what has happened on the national level is manifesting itself locally as people disenchanted with the status quo act as agents of change. There’s more to it than that. At stake are leadership positions, both at the state and local levels and, as some believe, how even the Warwick teachers’ contract plays out.

The race for the Democratic nomination in Ward 7, where there are four candidates, will decide the next councilman since there are no Republican or independent candidates on the general election ballot for Nov. 8.

Campaigns have been waged extensively on social media with charges and countercharges exchanged on Facebook and in the comment sections of stories appearing in the Beacon and other outlets. Some candidates have populated the wards and districts with signs while others have focused on mailings. Walking and meeting voters from house to house has been the most popular form of campaigning.

To some who know Warwick politics and have watched elections, campaigns have become mean spirited, fueled by rumors and filled with personal attacks. A behind the curtain, a contest is playing out in ward primaries between council president Donna Travis seeking to hold the seat and, according to reports, Ward 5 Councilman Ed Ladouceur looking to solidify support going into the general election. He confirmed he’s interested in the post this week. The president is elected by the council following the election.

At play, too, is the dramatic showing Bernie Sanders made in the statewide April presidential primary. While Hillary Clinton had the endorsement of virtually every high-ranking Democratic office holder, she lost to Sanders in the Ocean State. This emboldened progressive Democrats and is deemed a major reason for many state House and Senate contests. Jeanne Calkin, who is running against incumbent William Walaska in Senate District 30, helped co-found the Rhode Island Sanders campaign and puts herself in the progressive camp, as do Jeremey Rix, running in Ward 2, and Jennifer Siciliano, who is challenging first-term lawmaker Joseph Solomon Jr. in House District 22.

Few of local state contests appear to be as intense as that for House District 21, where incumbent Eileen Naughton is being challenged by political newcomer David Kruzona and Ward 3 Councilwoman Camille Vella-Wilkinson, who has chosen not to seek a fourth council term. Of all the primary candidates other than incumbents running for re-election, she is the only one to currently hold an elective office. Naughton, who has faced weak challenges, if any at all, in prior elections is campaigning hard. She is walking the district and has the support of the House leadership that has worked to give her exposure at every opportunity. Kruzona, who has been critical of Naughton’s extended tenure and the leadership, has run a low-profile campaign, whereas Vella-Wilkinson, drawing upon council campaign team and city alliances, is pushing hard for the vote.

With six candidates vying for four slots on the November ballot from which two will be elected, the school committee is the only citywide primary contest next Tuesday. As the committee is nonpartisan, unaffiliated voters won’t need to declare as Democrats to cast their ballots for school committee. The lineup includes one incumbent, Karen Bachus, David Testa and Dean Johnson, who previously ran for the committee, and Nathan Cornell, Chadd Huddon, and Daniel Hall. The race is being closely followed by the Warwick Teachers Union. With five members on the committee, the outcome of the primary and the election could have an impact on a teachers’ contract. Teachers are entering a second year without a contract.

Of the ward primary races, those in Ward 7, where incumbent Kathleen Usler isn’t seeking re-election, and in Ward 2, where Thomas “TC” Chadronent is stepping down, are especially heated. Former Councilman Charles “CJ” Donovan is looking to make a comeback in Ward 7, where Jack Kirby, who has run for mayor, and newcomers to the elective process Steve McAllister and Robert Germani hope to win the seat as there is no Republican or independent candidate. The contest has seen the candidates walking the ward, ringing doorbells, and talking about taxes and schools and local issues relating to the airport and the Apponaug Circulator project.

With so many candidates running, efforts have focused on identifying a base of support, which may not be large compared to the overall registered voters in a ward or state district, and working to get them to vote. Local races with three and four candidates running could see individual tallies of fewer than 300 votes and victories by margins of fewer than 20 votes.

In Ward 2, former state senator James Donelan is looking to make a return to public service as newcomers Sean Rainey and Jeremy Rix are likewise vying for the Democratic nomination. Rix is the endorsed candidate, and in Facebook postings has taken Rainey to task for misrepresenting his [Rix’s] qualifications. Rix has also come under fire by Donelan for not being a Warwick taxpayer since he neither owns property in the city or his own car. The winner will face Republican John Silvagio.

A three-way race for the Democratic nomination is also shaping up in Ward 1, where current Republican Councilman Steven Colantuono has chosen not to seek re-election. Progressive Democrat Tanios BouRamia, Richard Corley, and Patrick Maloney are all vying to face Republican Richard Cascella in the general election.

Apart from the local Democratic primaries, Democrats will also vote on their congressional candidate. Incumbent James Langevin of Warwick faces challenges from Steve Archer and John Hamilton.

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  • Justanidiot

    Now I know that Ms. Vella-Wilkinson is running for the RI House.

    I didn't know if the area had been redistricted and there were at least 21 council seats. Or if she were running for RI Senate.

    I guess I get confused when I read English

    Thursday, September 8, 2016 Report this

  • bloodhound

    VOTERS BEWARE

    Ms. Wilkenson is not what she has advertised herself to be. In fact some of her claimed accomplishments were done by her predecessors before she was even in office. Camille is in favor of the kind of politics that has near bankrupted the state and has drained taxpayers pockets.Don't vote for her! She favors special interests at the expense of most taxpayers. How? By supporting the insider political leaders who care more about their own political career and by sucking off the system more than they care about most constituents. Camille is getting support through the local system via special interests of getting union votes and union sponsored campaign funds as payback for promises to keep the exorbitant pensions going. Take a look at her most recent campaign finance report and its clear who her primary financial supporters are and they expect to benefit financially from your pocket! You as a taxpayer cannot afford that kind of drain to your pocket. While Vella Wilkenson has attacked opponents this year and in previous years, she has gone out of her way to grossly exaggerate her stated accomplishment and to trash her opponents this year and in former years. The truth is that Camille, as a legislator, writes weak legislation that is poorly written to the point it's not worth the paper its written on. Even her most recent and last council passed Resolution reads poorly and has grammatical errors. She's not ready for state office, in fact she was not a good city councilor and mostly acted as a puppet for others who now want to promote her for their own personal gain. There are better choices. Don't vote for Corrupt Camille.

    Monday, September 12, 2016 Report this