Ken Block is taking his campaign for governor to the State House.

In an hour-long interview Friday, the founder of the Moderate Party, who is running as a Republican, said he would continue to champion removal of the master lever from the ballot and speak out on legislation during this session of the General Assembly. And from the sound of it, apart from Block’s meetings with Republican city and town committees, Rhode Islanders will probably hear Block speaking more about state lawmakers than others in the race for governor.

It’s not that he isn’t paying attention to those who have announced their candidacy to date.

Block said the other hopefuls for governor – including fellow GOP candidate and Cranston Mayor Allan Fung, as well as Democrats State Treasurer Gina Raimondo and Providence Mayor Angel Taveras – represent a continuation of an environment in which career politicians focus on rhetoric and career advancement over concrete plans and true achievements. Block sees himself as the candidate with a plan and a passion for Rhode Island.

Block’s message focuses on fiscal responsibility and data-driven solutions for the state’s economic woes. On his website, www.kenblockforgovernor.com, he prominently pledges that he “will find and save Rhode Island $1 billion in wasteful spending.”

“The economic and educational issues are the issues of our day,” he said.

To that end, Block has been adamant about his plan centered on three key areas – economic growth, education and government reform – while taking what he calls “classic social issues” such as gun rights and abortion off the table during his tenure as governor.

“We have a bigger problem,” he said, asking voters to “give me the chance to address the issues that we can fix.”

“I need that passion, I need that energy [voters often devote to social issues] channeled into something that we have to do,” Block continued.

“I do this because I really think … by the time [my children] graduate and they’re looking for a job, they’re going to have to leave [Rhode Island] if we continue on this path. That’s a bad legacy to leave behind.”

Block’s professional background and experience in the private sector are a significant part of his pitch to voters, and he said he would bring the mindset of a technology-based entrepreneur to the State House as part of his government reform push.

He cited a 16-page report prepared by the consulting firm he founded, Simpatico Software Systems, and released by Gov. Lincoln Chafee last year, which found “substantial and very different types of fraud” in the state’s EBT, Medicaid and Providence Housing programs.

The report is critical of the state’s computer system infrastructure – saying it is outdated and limited the availability of quality data – and asserts that inefficiencies and poor communication on the part of state and federal agencies have opened the door for misuse of the programs in question.

Block also points to the temporary disability insurance (TDI) program as a major source of concern. He said the program is extraordinarily costly in Rhode Island because of its poor management, which currently allows for abuse.

He relayed an anecdote about a company in which an employee was injured and out of work for several weeks but was kept on payroll with full salary during that time. The employee, Block said, asked the employer’s permission to apply for TDI benefits anyway.

“The purpose should be to replace lost wages,” he said. “We allow monkey business, and we don’t run the program professionally.”

Block says making reforms to the program – he cites New Jersey’s as an example – could be implemented immediately through executive order, and would result in savings of roughly one-third of $1 billion.

“You don’t need the legislature,” he said.

Block points to the 38 Studios debacle as an example of major decisions being made “behind closed curtains” and without a data-driven approach.

“I won’t tolerate that,” he said.

Block also spoke of a recent press conference and subsequent complaint he filed to raise concerns over the composition and record keeping of the State Properties Committee.

“The public has every right to know what government does before it happens rather than afterwards,” he said.

Block appeared recently with Fung before the Cranston Republican City Committee to speak and answer questions. While the committee unanimously endorsed Fung, Block said the forum illustrates the differences between the two GOP candidates.

“[I had] real, solid ideas and plans and data to back them up,” said Block. “Allan has no forward-looking plan. So the only thing he can do is look backwards … If we put someone else into office who doesn’t know what to do, we’re cooked.”

Block was especially critical of Raimondo, whom he characterized as “another politically ambitious Democrat” using the treasurer’s office as a steppingstone and fundraising perch for higher office.

“You don’t use one office to raise money for another,” he said, describing doing so as “distasteful.”

Block’s primary target, however, is the General Assembly, the members of which he said “stay the course” to the detriment of the state.

“We’re going to push leadership in the legislature. This is all about using the bully pulpit,” he said.

Referencing the recent call by Fung to review the state’s taxes and other efforts under way among lawmakers on the tax issue, Block again painted his approach as one of concrete plans versus rhetoric.

“We must lower our cost of doing business … If you don’t know how to lower those taxes, it’s empty promises,” he said.

Block has specifically targeted a capital gains tax exemption as a means to attract and foster startup companies in Rhode Island.

“There’s no cost,” he said. “You can’t count as lost revenue [any] revenue you wouldn’t have gotten in the first place.”

Block also spoke about his effort to create the Moderate Party and the roadblocks that were placed in his path by the State Board of Elections, which he claims “broke the law.” He said it was never his intention to run for governor on the Moderate ticket, but rather the purpose of the party was to recruit and work on the campaigns of candidates for the General Assembly.

“I had no interest in running for any office of any kind,” he said.

When the only means for the party to be recognized was for it to field a candidate for governor and win a minimum of 5 percent of the vote, he took on the challenge.

That was in 2010, and he garnered 6 percent of the vote. This time he’s running as a Republican because he believes it gives him a better chance of winning. He also said his previous campaign helped him delve into the issues facing the Ocean State in a way he had not done previously.

“This was my learning ground,” he said.

So far, Block said he believes his candidacy has generated more interest in the GOP than some people have seen in years. He said his visits to city and town committees have brought party members out and generated discussion, which he views as positive for the party.

“We’re seeing a lot of momentum right now,” he said.

Block said he purposely isn’t asking for endorsements at this time. He said it is too early and party members would have a better picture of the candidates later in the political season. He is looking forward to debates.

Block said he also plans to run a campaign in which “[I] look different and sound different than any other candidate.” He acknowledges his fundraising will not likely be on par with that of other hopefuls, but said the “message is far more powerful than the money.”

“You’re not going to see a commercial of me throwing a football on the beach,” he said. “I’m not talking about rhetoric. I’m talking about, ‘Here’s the steps I’m going to take’ … I think voters should ask politicians hard questions.”