Sad but true, money drives politics
By Will Collette
Candidates for public office were required to file CF-1
forms by August 1 reporting on their income, expenses and balance for the
quarter ending June 30. All but three local candidates did so. Despite the time
lag, these figures give us a pretty good idea about the status of local races.
In Charlestown, nearly every elected office is being
contested in what is shaping up to be another “Battle of the PACs.” The campaign
finance reports also show the resurgence of the long-dormant Republican Party
in Charlestown.
Two far-right Republican General Assembly incumbents face
strong progressive Democratic challengers, plus there are two open seats
vacated by the two top Republican leaders in the General Assembly and, just
based on the financial reports, both seats seem likely prospects to flip Blue.
Senate District 38
(Charlestown, Westerly, South Kingstown)
This is the local race getting the most statewide attention.
Long held by Westerly Republican Dennis Algiere, his decision to retire set off
a flurry of declarations. After signatures on nomination papers were fully
validated, three Democrats will go into a September 13 primary and then will
face well-known Westerly pol Caswell Cooke running as an independent and novice
Republican Westin Place.
So far, that five-person field has raised $67,199.67, but
it’s more interesting to see how that money was distributed:
First, Charlestown’s Victoria Gu raised $50,000 in
the quarter ending June 30 with a balance of $49,339.89. Almost all of that
money came from the Asian-Pacific community around the country.
Running a distant second is independent Caswell Cooke with
$9,167.23. Cooke was a long-time Republican until Donald Trump’s 2016 election
win when he disaffiliated from the Republican Party.
Third is Westerly Democrat Michael Niemeyer with $7,691.89. He is
running under the auspices of the RI Political Coop.
Fourth is current Westerly Town Council President, Democrat Sharon Ahern. She shows only $1000,
her own money, in her campaign account. She entered the race late so her lack
of cash is not surprising.
Finally, there is Republican Westin Place who has apparently
not yet filed a CF-1 report. That will probably cost him a fine and raises some
question about how serious he is about campaigning.
House District 36
(Charlestown, Westerly, South Kingstown, Block Island)
This race is for another open seat left behind by Republican
House Minority Leader Blake
“Flip” Filippi.
In this race, Democrat Tina Spears of Charlestown is running
hard and reports a June 30 balance of $23,189.08.
Her opponent is recent Charlestown transplant John Pacheco
III. Instead of a CF-1, Pacheco filed an application for filing exemption based
on his declaration that he does not plan to raise much money. His campaign fund
is currently in debt. He declared $262.75 cash on hand and $2,682.45 in debt.
It appears that these numbers are carried over from his political career as
Town Council chair in Burrillville. He bought a house in Charlestown on
December 29, 2020.
So far, he has shown no signs of being a serious candidate.
Without money, he can’t run a competitive race.
Senate District 34
(Hopkinton, Richmond, Charlestown, Exeter, West Greenwich)
This is the seat currently held by right-wing nut Sen.
Elaine Morgan of Hopkinton. She was recently in the news after the state Board
of Elections nailed
her for taking money out of her campaign funds for personal use. She was
required to put the money back and pay a $1,200 fine. With payback, she reports
a balance of $16,160.
She faces progressive Democrat Jennifer Douglas of Charlestown, another
RI Political Coop member. Jennifer reports a June 30 balance of $6,681.34.
Normally, serious campaign finance crimes end political
campaigns as it did for Matt
Brown in his 2004 Senate campaign. Brown was out of Rhode Island politics
for years until he created the RI Political Coop in
2019 to make a comeback. But Republican Elaine Morgan might be able to
count on the GOP’s tendency to reward law-breaking. We’ll see which way it goes
when she files her next report on October 11.
House District 39
(Richmond, Hopkinton, Exeter)
Technically, this isn’t a Charlestown race but it might as
well be since incumbent right-wing loon Justin Price of Richmond has been
running in a pack with Blake Filippi and Elaine Morgan since they were all
elected in 2014. Adding to that Charlestown feeling is that Price got his seat
by ousting a great legislator, Larry Valencia, who did at one time represent
the northern half of Charlestown.
Anyway, Price who hopefully may be indicted for his acknowledged
participation in the January 6 Trump coup attempt reports a June 30 balance
of $4,543.57.
He has a rematch with Democrat and RI Political Coop member Megan Cotter. She reports an impressive June 30 balance of $35,561.93. If
money truly equaled votes, Price is toast. However, this is a very conservative
district.
Charlestown Municipal
races
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| CCA logo? |
The November 8 general election has two political action
committees squaring off for control of the town: the ruling Charlestown
Citizens Alliance (CCA) and the good government Charlestown Residents United
(CRU). Click HERE to see CRU’s slate of
candidates.
Nearly every elected position is up for grabs. Most
candidates, other than those who are for-real independents, will be financed
through one of the two PACs perhaps with help from Charlestown Democratic Town
Committee (CDTC) or the resurgent Charlestown Republican Town Committee (CRTC).
These four political entities report these June 30 balances:
Charlestown Citizens
Alliance: $7,164.55
Charlestown Residents
United: $5,420.03
Charlestown
Republicans: $3,803.91
Charlestown Democrats:
$1,507.18
The campaign finance reports show the CCA hasn’t even gotten
started on fund-raising yet. Their usual practice over the past 12 years has
been to hit up major donors, especially rich absentee property owners, from
July to Election Day. The Charlestown Democrats also haven’t done much
fund-raising yet.
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| Mageau does what Mageau does |
One of the only actual independents in the race is 👈 town
curmudgeon Jim Mageau running for Town Council. He
was ousted by the CCA in 2008, has been disowned by both parties and seeks
a comeback. Maybe or maybe not.
Mageau dissolved
his campaign finance account in June 2013 and hasn’t filed anything since.
Including this year where he had enough signatures on his nomination papers to
qualify for the General Election ballot.
If he’s going to run any sort of
campaign at all, he’ll need to get his account in order with the Board of
Elections or he will face fines.
Over the coming weeks, I will be running articles comparing
the candidates especially because there are a lot of new faces and names on the
ballot in Charlestown.
In case you are wondering, I am neither dispassionate nor
unbiased in this election. I am NOT the League of Women Voters because I do
think there are sharp differences among the candidates. Elaine Morgan and
Jennifer Douglas are polar opposites, as are Justin Price and Megan Cotter.
So, the race is underway and may the BEST candidates win.
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