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Anyone interested in the Providence mayoral race can catch the debate tonight at 7 pm. The 3 democratic candidates are it. There are no republican or independent candidates. So, the winner of the demo primary will be the next mayor. Even if you don't live in Providence, this is an important race for the state.
I'll be interested in how these 3 can distinguish themselves from each other & if any of them can offer a glimpse of a quality of leadership that's been so sorely missing from the last 3 city mayors.
I heard the WPRO/Bartholomewtown debate between the three. Is it too late to find someone else and launch a write-in campaign?
My quick take on the debate:
Smiley: Clearly the most prepared with the best command of the issues. If it's all about perceived wonk competence over leadership & likeability chops, he should win in a cake walk. However, that he went out of the way to identify Cicilline as a good mayor was troubling on several levels.
LaFortune: Strangely she dominated the debate time, but didn't say much important. Mostly hollow platitudes about "bringing stakeholders together".
Cuervo: An echo of the last 3 mayors. If you liked them, you'll like this one. More of the same.
Location: Earth, a nice neighborhood in the Milky Way
3,850 posts, read 2,716,259 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by independent man
My quick take on the debate:
Smiley: Clearly the most prepared with the best command of the issues. If it's all about perceived wonk competence over leadership & likeability chops, he should win in a cake walk. However, that he went out of the way to identify Cicilline as a good mayor was troubling on several levels.
LaFortune: Strangely she dominated the debate time, but didn't say much important. Mostly hollow platitudes about "bringing stakeholders together".
Cuervo: An echo of the last 3 mayors. If you liked them, you'll like this one. More of the same.
Yeah, Smiley is clearly the most prepared and has the best command of the issues. And he presents himself as less left than the other two.
The quantity of mailers from the Smiley campaign is higher than I have seen from any other candidate ever.
Yeah, Smiley is clearly the most prepared and has the best command of the issues. And he presents himself as less left than the other two.
The quantity of mailers from the Smiley campaign is higher than I have seen from any other candidate ever.
We need better options.
After the debate, there's little doubt in my mind Smiley will likely win. Wish I had seen a little more leadership magic from him. Successful city mayor's must be able to persuade others to follow. Residents, city counselors, state legislators & governors. Especially when tough decisions are to be made.
Location: Earth, a nice neighborhood in the Milky Way
3,850 posts, read 2,716,259 times
Reputation: 1616
Quote:
Originally Posted by independent man
After the debate, there's little doubt in my mind Smiley will likely win. Wish I had seen a little more leadership magic from him. Successful city mayor's must be able to persuade others to follow. Residents, city counselors, state legislators & governors. Especially when tough decisions are to be made.
There's some doubt in my mind. I think Smiley is the least ideologically objectionable candidate in this largely deficient field, but that isn't saying much. He's also, as you said, the one with the most command of the issues.
However, I personally know many people who think he is a back-room politician who will stand up for the moneyed interests in town. They cite his deal with Elorza eight years ago, and his money raising conflict of interest issues when he worked for Raimondo. Some even have a weird accusation that he has helped "cause gentrification" because of his real estate agent husband (as PB says, you can't make this stuff up).
My sense is that the race is between Smiley and Cuervo. I hear very little support for LaFortune. Many of the people I know who pushed Elorza eight years ago are pushing Cuervo now. So Elorza's endorsement is likely just preaching to the choir in that off-beat church.
My sense is that the race is between Smiley and Cuervo. I hear very little support for LaFortune. Many of the people I know who pushed Elorza eight years ago are pushing Cuervo now. So Elorza's endorsement is likely just preaching to the choir in that off-beat church.
Being a progressive, I have no big ideological quarrel with any of the candidates. Were I a city voter, my focus would be more on a much needed leadership ability. In the debate, Cuervo reminded me too much of Elorza. LaFortune seemed little more than a bundle of consensus platitudes. That left a rather unlikeable, but perhaps competent Smiley. However, his affinity for Cicilline's mayoral performance was troubling.
It's always the least worst of the worst line up. A lot of people just don't want to get into the corrupt political fray.
I cannot imagine Cuervo's rent control thing going over. That's a clear violation of property rights in my book. Public housing is one thing- private investment is another. We in Providence choose not to be either NYC or Boston- thank you.
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