Cook Political: Third Parties making a difference…

Third Parties are making a difference in New England according to an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal. Jennifer Duffy from the Cook Political Report writes on WSJ.com, “Third-party candidates rarely win elections. So what does it say about the deep blue states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island that they now have credible independents running for governor next year?”

Duffy writes that because of Democratic dominance in New England the opportunity has arisen, the opening is there for a third party or independent candidate to take the wind from the Democrat.

Duffy points out that in Massachusetts, state Treasurer Tim Cahill now has more than six times the amount of money that incumbent Democratic Governor Deval Patrick has in his bank account the end of the last quarter. Cahill was a Democrat, but resigned to run as an independent. She continues to write about former Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee who is running for Governor in Rhode Island as an independent, recent polls show him getting about one third of the vote.

Duffy argued that the rise of Chafee and Cahill mostly depends upon their personality and winning disaffected voters.

SOURCE:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704782304574541903184382532.html

New Rhode Island party facing one of the largest fines in a campaign-finance dispute...

A new Rhode Island political party may face one of the largest fines in a campaign-finance dispute. Steve Peoples writes on ProJo.com, “The state Board of Elections has quietly offered to settle a campaign-finance dispute with the newly established Moderate Party of Rhode Island for what may be the largest fine in the board’s history.”

The report says the state is asking three-month-old party to forfeit a $10,000 donation and its chairman to pay another $10,000 from his own pocket. If they did not agree to the terms, officials threatened to have the attorney general’s office launch civil or criminal investigations into party officials for violating Rhode Island’s finance laws.

The article quotes party chairman Kenneth J. Block, “That was a rotten deal any which way you sliced it. And frankly, a deal designed to be rejected… I’m ready to go to war on this… [the investigation is] 100-percent politically motivated… We are threats to the establishment.”

ProJo.com says the battle comes from these moves, “On Sept. 21, Block donated $10,000 to his organization’s state committee, the annual individual maximum allowed by state law for party building, which covers expenses related to staffing, rent and utilities, but not specific elections. On Sept. 26, Block, a Barrington software engineer, wrote another $10,000 check to the Barrington Moderate Party Town Committee, which had been formed just two days before. And on Sept. 28, the Barrington committee sent $10,000 –– all but $100 in its bank account –– to the state committee.”

SOURCE:

http://www.projo.com/news/politics/content/MODERATE_DONATION_FIGHT_11-24-09_I5GHJBP_v18.3a643ac.html

Independent leading in race for Governor…

Independent leading in race for Governor in Rhode Island according to a new Alpha Research Assoc. poll.

The poll had independent former Senator Lincoln Chafee leading in races versus Republican Rory Smith, and Democrats General Treasurer Frank Caprio and Attorney General Patrick Lynch.

The poll shows the former Republican Chafee getting 36 or 37 percent of the vote depending up on the match-up. In a race versus and Attorney General Lynch and Smith Chafee leads 37-24-15. The match-up is much closer with the Democrat being General Treasurer Caprio, but Chafee is still in the lead 36-34-8.

In the polls undecideds are still in the 20’s.

SOURCE:

http://lcvonlinenews.blogspot.com/2009/11/governor-rhode-island-2010.html

Rhode Island third party growing its grassroots…

A Rhode Island third party growing its grassroots. Ian Donnis writes on WRNI.com, “The Moderate Party of Rhode Island… (formed) 17 Moderate Party Town Committees.” Donnis explains the party focus on, “the Four E's- Economy, Education, Ethics, and Environment.”

The article quoted the Executive Director of the Moderate Party of Rhode Island Christine Hunsinger, "We're excited to have these committees up and running… (they are) an essential part of our organization when it comes to fundraising and getting our message out.”

Even more committees are expected to be announced by the end of November.

SOURCE:

http://www.wrni.org/blog/ian-donnis/moderate-party-announces-17-town-committees

Chaefee hires communications firm…

Lincoln Chafee hires communications firm for his Rhode Island gubernatorial “exploratory campaign”. Steve Peoples on Projo.com reports, “(Chafee hired an) international communications firm with experience on several high-profile campaigns.”

Chafee, a former Republican, hired the firm Devine Mulvey. The report quotes a Chafee news release saying Mulvey, "produced media for 17 winning U.S. Senate races and in dozens of winning races, for Democratic and independent candidates, for the U.S. House and state and local election officials."

Chafee, a former Senator, is expected to run for Governor as an independent.

SOURCE:

http://politicsblog.projo.com/2009/10/chafee-hires-co.html

A new party is close to getting on the ballot…

A new party is close to getting on the ballot in Rhode Island. WPRI.com is reporting, “The Moderate Party of Rhode Island says it has enough signatures to get on the ballot.”

The report says officials with the Rhode Island Board of Elections are certifying the signatures. Party officials claimed to have just under 34,000 signatures, more than the 23,500 needed to place its candidates on the ballot.

SOURCE:

http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/local_wpri_providence_board_of_elections_certifying_moderate_party_signatures_20090804_nek

Executive Director is named for new political party...

Executive Director is named for new political party, the “Moderate Party of Rhode Island”.

According to the post on projo.com, Christine Hunsinger is taking the job. Hunsinger briefly served as press secretary for Democratic Congressional hopeful Elizabeth Dennigan in the summer of 2009. The article continues to say, “(Hunsinger) was a registered Democrat until last week”

She was quoted saying they have about two dozen candidates considering running for the state legislature.

SOURCE:

http://www.projo.com/news/politics/content/MODERATE_PARTY_09-22-09_62FQ3ST_v10.37ce7d5.html

Democrats and Republicans fear this independent…

Democrats and Republicans fear this independent, the independent is Lincoln Chafee. Chafee is running for Rhode Island Governor as an independent candidate.

In a article posed RealClearPolitics.com, both Republian and Democratic leaders mention concerns that Chafee could give their candidates a run for their money. The article quotes executive director of the Democratic Governors Association Nathan Daschle as saying, “(Chafee is who Democrats) see as the general election competition."

Chafee was a Republican Senator from Rhode Island, but lost his re-election bid in 2006.

SOURCE:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/politics_nation/2009/09/parties_see_chafee_as_potentia.html

Pot goes to the top...

Pot goes to the top... of the Rhode Island Governor’s Desk.

Libertarian Director of Communications Donny Ferguson blogs about the Rhode Island Senate and House passing what he wrote the law that would allow “compassion centers" to sell medical marijuana.

Governor Donald Carcieri vetoed a similar bill last year. But the vote passing both house of the legislature by huge margins, “(it) suggest a veto will be overrridden this year by the required three-fifths majorities,” bloged Ferguson.

If it becomes law, Rhode Islands would be the third state in the country to approve medical marijuana. The state would be the first east coast state to pass such a bill.

SOURCE:

http://www.lp.org/blogs/donny-ferguson/ri-senate-passes-compassion-bill-allowing-medical-cannabis-for-the-critically-i