By JOHN HOWELL 4 p.m. and not a minute more. That's the rule, and Dottie McCarthy intends to abide by it when it comes down to Wednesday's deadline for candidates to declare for office. A 13-year veteran of the Board of Canvassers, McCarthy has lived
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4 p.m. and not a minute more.
That’s the rule, and Dottie McCarthy intends to abide by it when it comes down to Wednesday’s deadline for candidates to declare for office. A 13-year veteran of the Board of Canvassers, McCarthy has lived through election cycles and expects the office will be packed as candidates seek to learn who they will face on the ballot. Last minute surprises where incumbents choose not to run for reelection or newcomers suddenly appear on the scene do happen.
Will it happen this year?
So far, other than incumbents who have indicated their interest in seeking reelection this has been a low volume election year.
Of course, the major development came in April when, after more than 18 years as mayor, Scott Avedisian accepted the post as president and CEO of the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority. Avedisian left the city’s top job in May, thereby avoiding the cost of a special election and putting City Council President Joseph Solomon in the role of completing his term.
Living up to his word that he will be a candidate for the job, Solomon was among the first to declare this candidacy on Monday. As of noon he was the only declared candidate, although Richard Corrente, who ran twice as the Democratic candidate against Avedisian, has said he will run again. “Corrente for Mayor” signs already are up and he has said he is running. If he follows through it would set up a Democratic primary for mayor.
When he announced he would be leaving the office, Avedisian predicted there was a high level of interest among Republicans and the seat would not go uncontested. Yet, so far, no one has come forward and both rumored candidates, Tom Stone who served on the Warwick Sewer Authority and Anthony Bucci, who has been active in state and local Republican circles, have said they won’t be running.
Former Ward 1 Councilwoman, who was an unsuccessful candidate for Secretary of State, Sue Stenhouse, has been rumored as a candidate. She could not be reached for comment, despite calls.
Political rumors usually travel at the speed of light, especially at this time of year, yet as of last week Rob Farrell, chairman of the City Democratic Committee, knew of no possible Republican candidates for mayor. He called Avedisian the “glue” to the Warwick Republican party, and without him on top of the local ballot he hasn’t heard of Republican candidates for either the mayor or the City Council.
As of Monday morning, only one Republican, Julie C. Caiozzo, had declared her candidacy. She is running for the Representative District 24, which is now held by Evan Shanley.
At least one Democratic council primary is shaping up as Anthony Sinapi and Bethany Furtado, who is currently the chairwoman of the School Committee, are reportedly running for the Ward 8 seat now held by Joseph Gallucci. Gallucci, who has served on the council for 18 years and worked for the city in the Board of Canvassers and Human Services another 16 years, said Sinapi and Furtado, both members of the Ward 8 Democratic Committee, have told him they are running.
As Gallucci talked about his decision not to seek reelection at the Board of Canvassers, Sinapi appeared to file his declaration papers.
“I will help whoever wins [the primary],” Gallucci said.
After declaring by the 4 p.m. Wednesday deadline, the candidates have until July 16 to return the required number of signatures of registered voters in their district to be listed on the ballot. The Board of Canvassers has until July 20 to certify the signatures. The deadline for party endorsements is this Thursday.
The required number of signatures to be a certified candidate varies from a high of 1,000 for U.S. Senate or governor to 50 for council and state representative or senator. A candidate for mayor is required to file the signatures of 200 registered Warwick voters.
McCarthy and the board are prepared for the candidates with information on the campaign calendar and requirement they must meet such as campaign finance reports.
Offering an observation, McCarthy said the political scene “all changed in 2016.” She said Democratic and Republican presidential primaries brought out a new group of people considering runs for local offices. She said since the 2016 election she has fielded numerous inquiries about running for office, although in most cases people don’t identify themselves.
As of 4 p.m. Monday, the following candidates have filed declaration papers:
Mayor
Joseph Solomon, D
Ward 1
Richard Corley, D
Ward 4
Michael Penta, I
Ernest Flagg, D
Ward 5
Ed Ladouceur, D
Ward 6
Donna Travis, D
Ward 7
Steve McAllister, D
Ward 8
Bethany Furtado, D
Anthony Sinapi, D
Ward 9
Steve Merolla, D
Rep. Dist. 19
Joseph McNamara, D
Rep. Dist. 22
Joseph Solomon Jr., D
Rep. Dist. 24
Julie Caiozzo, R
Senate Dist. 29
Michael McCaffery, D
Senate Dist. 30
Jeanine Calkin, D
Mark McKenney, D
Senate Dist. 31
Erin Lynch Prata
School Committee Dist. 1
Kyle Adams
School Committee Dist. 2
Judy Cobden
Mary T. Medeiros
School Committee Dist. 3
Nathan Cornell
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CrickeeRaven
Just as he was first to formally declare for mayor, Joe Solomon will be first in the election results and deal another humiliating defeat to the make-believe mayor, who will then have the distinction of being the first candidate in a generation to lose to two different mayors.
Wednesday, June 27, 2018 Report this
Scal1024
(Rick Corrente on Joe Solomon being elected Council President)
"Congratulations Joe!
You earned the distinction."- Rick Corrente
[Warwick Beacon- Wednesday November 16th, 2016]
(Rick Corrente on Joe Solomon/Joe Solomon Jr)
"They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. He hasn't. His father is a class act and Joe Jr is the next generation. I have listened to him agree with those in the state house and I have heard him disagree. In both cases it was with the same level of total respect.
I support this great young man and I recommend that readers do as well"- Rick Corrente
[Warwick Beacon- September 1st, 2016]
(Rick Corrente on the City Councils 2017 budget...)
"The 2017 Warwick City Council held the line on taxes. Critics said it couldn't be done and you did it! As a citizen and a taxpayer in Warwick I say thank you!
Thank you Rick, Joe, Steve, Jeremy, Tim, Steve, Donna, Joe and Ed. I have called MYSELF (notice he admits.he gave himself the nickname) the taxpayers mayor because I've always felt I am a servant to the taxpayers. Now I have a new phrase- the City Council will now be known as the taxpayers City Council. Congratulations to 9 of the hardest working Council people Warwick has ever had."
[Warwick Beacon JUNE 6TH, 2017]
Notice Rick Corrente didn't seem to think the Democratic Party was full of insiders just 1 year ago? He even signed his name as the "endorsed democrat for Mayor" after some of these comments. It's obvious the party IMMEDIATELY had regret endorsing this unqualified buffoon. Now Rick tries to phrase it as if he was against this party and Joe Solomon all along. Read his own words folks. Rick Corrente wants to beat Joe Solomon in 2018...the problem is Rick Corrente can't even defeat Rick Corrente from 2016. I along with thousands of others voters will be happy to show this tax delinquent fraud the door this primary season.
Wednesday, June 27, 2018 Report this
CrickeeRaven
Scal, you rightly point out the make-believe mayor's habit of completely contradicting his own words when he thinks it will benefit him politically.
Here's another example: He finally removed any reference to being an "endorsed candidate" from his campaign website -- after he kept this lie on the website for months.
As long as the Democratic insiders were giving him campaign contributions [pittance though it was], the make-believe mayor had no problem aligning himself with the party. Now that it is clear he will not get the same support this year, he casts himself as an outsider.
I look forward to joining you and thousands of honest, taxpaying voters who will defeat his candidacy again this year.
Wednesday, June 27, 2018 Report this
CrickeeRaven
Scal, you rightly point out the make-believe mayor's habit of completely contradicting his own words when he thinks it will benefit him politically.
Here's another example: He finally removed any reference to being an "endorsed candidate" from his campaign website -- after he kept this lie on the website for months.
As long as the Democratic insiders were giving him campaign contributions [pittance though it was], the make-believe mayor had no problem aligning himself with the party. Now that it is clear he will not get the same support this year, he casts himself as an outsider.
I look forward to joining you and thousands of honest, taxpaying voters who will defeat his candidacy again this year.
Wednesday, June 27, 2018 Report this
wwkvoter
It is gratifying that the one legitimate mayor candidate is Mayor Joe Solomon. He has always worked hard for this city and done his homework, and that shows me that he will continue to stay on top of things as Mayor. He also has great financial and legal credentials as well. From the city web site:
Warwick Mayor Joseph J. Solomon was born in Providence, but has been a Warwick resident for more than four decades. Mayor Solomon is a graduate of Classical High School in Providence. He also holds a degree in Accounting from Providence College and graduated Magna Cum Laude and a Juris Doctor from New England School of Law in Boston.
Thursday, June 28, 2018 Report this
Scal1024
The lack of response from the tax delinquent, failing candidate Rick Corrente speaks volumes. This is a guy who comments on EVERYTHING on this website, yet when challenged, has nothing to say. This is why for almost 4 years he hasn't been able to answer what spending he'd cut, or how he'd pay for things like voluntary pension buyouts. He also admitted in his own comments HE gave HIMSELF the "taxpayers mayor" nickname, now acts as if the people coined that term for him. This man is a disgusting liar and the worst kind of person for elected office, that is one who only cares about themself and will say anything to get elected. Disgraceful.
The same way he ignores the fact he was the ENDORSED DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE for Mayor in 2016, now Corrente claims it is the party of "political insiders." The same way Rick Corrente changed his mind when he backed Stacia Petri in the 2014 REPUBLICAN PRIMARY, yet ran as a Democrat in 2016 and 2018. I would also point to Correntes support of Donald Trump before he changed his mind on that as well. Does this man stand for anything? Talk about a political weathervane, he changes his mind constantly yet blasts others for doing the same. How can we expect someone who spent $40,000 on a campaign that lost 65%-35% to "cut spending"? Given his own track record of foreclosure, tax delinquency and others paying his taxes for him its clear Corrente doesn't get it.
I look forward to Correntes response to his own praise of Joe Solomon (as soon as LAST JUNE). Rick Corrente keeps attacking Joe Solomon. He better focus on the other candidates running, or he may find himself in last place after close to 4 YEARS RUNNING and WELL OVER $40,000. That is not the type of loose spending Warwick needs. These are tough times for our city, we need 2 steady hands on the wheel like Joe Solomon, not 1 hand on the wheel and the other reaching in our pockets for more $ like Rick Corrente.
Thursday, June 28, 2018 Report this