Democratic governor faces tough re-election in Rhode Island
She's a Democrat in a state where Republican President
But a lot of voters aren't sold, and Raimondo looks to be heading into a tough re-election fight.
She faces a spirited, though poorly funded, challenge from the left in the
Raimondo said she thinks her message about how she's running to strengthen and sustain the state's economic comeback is resonating.
"I'm an outsider who has been bringing a lot of change and change is hard," she told The Associated Press. "Whether it has been the work I've done on economic development or infrastructure or tolling, you know, we've brought a lot of change to
Raimondo is pushing a record of accomplishments, including an improving economy in a state whose economic fortunes have perpetually lagged its
TV ads unanswered from her opponents this summer note how many jobs have been created during her time in office, and tout programs she has pushed to attract businesses, spur hiring and train workers. Meanwhile, her campaign is running hundreds of Facebook ads, which get so specific that they mention roads that have been repaired in particular towns.
"There's more to do, but we're heading in the right direction," Raimondo says in one TV spot.
Despite those accomplishments — and speculation nationally that she might run for president someday — her approval ratings have remained tepid.
She has been criticized for failures of leadership as governor, including her 2016 decision to launch a computer system for state benefits such as food stamps, despite warnings from federal officials that it wasn't ready. The resulting chaos left thousands without benefits, prompted lawsuits and a court-appointed overseer, who is still cleaning up the mess.
A former venture capitalist, she's still deeply disliked by many members of public employee unions because of her work as general treasurer to cut and make other changes to state pensions. She also invested hundreds of millions of dollars of pension money in hedge funds, a decision she made to reduce risk but which her successor backed away from because of huge fees. She won in 2014 with just under 41 percent in a three-way race, beating Fung, who got 36 percent.
To some, Raimondo's pension investments, huge fundraising numbers and tax incentives to corporations to lure them to
"I was extremely happy and proud of having a woman governor," she said. "Yeah, I want women to excel, I want women to be in places of power, but I'm not going to do it at the expense of what's going on."
A board member of the Rhode Island Progressive Democrats of America,
"I don't want to have to make that decision yet," Siciliano said.
"She's challenged the old guard. She's challenged the longstanding distribution of patronage, distribution of benefits. She's pushing
While she doesn't agree with Raimondo on everything, Democratic state Sen.
"The governor has been up there alongside me on those issues," Goldin said.
Raimondo has her fans. During a recent visit to
"We're trying to get things going for people. Fix the roads, fix the schools," she told
Dion has noticed.
"She's helped a lot," Dion said, adding that Raimondo has her vote.
Schiller said it's a tight race and Fung, a Trump supporter, has an "excellent" chance of winning. Fung has said little publicly during the campaign. He hasn't put out any substantive policy proposals and hasn't been giving interviews apart from conservative talk radio.
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