Electing a governor, or making a point?

Posted

To the Editor:

As we approach the November 4 General Election, I especially would like your readers to reflect on the gubernatorial election four years ago.

In that election, no candidate for Rhode Island governor received 50 percent of the vote. Governor Lincoln D. Chafee was elected with a plurality of the vote. The election for the governorship this year is likely to get the same result.

Do Rhode Islanders really want our next governor elected by a plurality, instead of a majority vote? Clearly, the next governor will be either Allan Fung, Cranston mayor, the Republican, or Gina Raimondo, the Rhode Island general treasurer, the candidate of the Democrats. I am supporting Mayor Fung for governor.

Rhode Island is very one-sided politically in elective state government. If Ms. Raimondo is elected, her party will exclusively run the state for all practical purposes. Presently, only five Republicans out of 38 are in the Rhode Island State Senate. In our Rhode Island House of Representatives, it is currently six members out of 75. The partisan "checks and balances" by having a Republican governor speaks for itself.

Those voters inclined to vote for Robert Healey, the Moderate nominee, or any of the independents running should reflect on this. Undecided voters should also reflect on this. The real question for those not voting for either the Republican or Democratic nominees is this: Do you want to elect someone who will be the next governor, or make a point?

<*R>Scott Bill Hirst

Ashaway

Mr. Hirst, is a six-term Hopkinton Town Council member, running for re-election as a Republican.

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