With more than 20 months to go until Rhode Island’s next gubernatorial election, EMILY’s List — a national group that supports pro-choice women candidates for Congress and governor — is endorsing Governor Gina Raimondo for re-election.
“EMILY’s List is proud to stand by Gov. Gina Raimondo, who is a true champion for Rhode Islanders,” Stephanie Schriock, president of EMILY’s List, said in a statement. “Gina has been a fighter for progressive values and economic security for the people of Rhode Island throughout her remarkable career.”
The endorsement from EMILY’s List comes one week after Raimondo addressed the most damaging crisis of her tenure, the troubled rollout of UHIP, the state’s $364 million IT system for administering human service benefits. It also precedes a declaration by Raimondo that she will seek re-election, although she has indicated she’s likely to do so.
During an unrelated news event on Wednesday, Raimondo said she was not aware EMILY’s List had endorsed her for re-election.
“It doesn’t have any particular impact” on 2018, she said. “I wasn’t aware of that, but it’s good news. As I said, I plan to run for re-election, but it’s a year and a half or more away, so it’s not something I’m spending a lot of time thinking about right now.”
EMILY’s List, based in Washington, D.C., claims a network of more than 5 million supporters. The organization was founded in 1985 and is named for an acronym, Early Money Is Like Yeast — a reflection of the importance of fundraising in politics.
With more than 20 months to go until Rhode Island’s next gubernatorial election, the EMILY’s List endorsement will be perceived by some as part of an effort to bolster Raimondo amid the political fallout from problems associated with the Unified Health Infrastructure Project, or UHIP. (As a skilled fundraiser, Raimondo has also compiled a war chest of more than $1.8 million, as of the fourth quarter of 2016.)
Raimondo last week apologized for the problems experienced by tens of thousands of Rhode Islanders due to the botched rollout, while also placing most of the blame on the state’s private vendor, Deloitte. She indicated the state will pursue incremental improvements and a renegotiated contract with Deloitte, while cautioning that getting UHIP where the state wants it to be will take more than a year.
Yet EMILY’s List is expected to also endorse for re-election this week Governor Kate Brown of Oregon, the only other Democratic women governor seeking re-election in 2018. The organization appears likely to frame the endorsements as part of a response to Donald Trump’s presidency and an effort to elect more women governors
In 2013, EMILY’s List announced its support for Raimondo’s first run for governor in December — the same month that she informally announced her campaign — although Schriock had previously signaled the group was likely to back Raimondo.
Campaign consultant Kate Coyne-McCoy, a Raimondo supporter, formerly worked as a regional director for EMILY’s List. In 2013, Coyne-McCoy formed a super PAC that supported Raimondo’s first gubernatorial run. (Coyne-McCoy tells RIPR she did not seek the latest endorsement for Raimondo.)
EMILY’s List said it does not discuss its process for making endorsements.
In her statement, Schriock offered this as part of the rationale for supporting Raimondo:
“She fought to expand funding for Rhode Island’s schools, ensure college affordability for all students, and protect women’s reproductive rights – making her not only an exemplary leader, but an essential voice for working families. As one of only two Democratic women governors in the country, Gina serves as an inspiration for the future women leaders we know our country needs – and we can’t wait to see what she accomplishes in her next term.”
Raimondo, a former venture capitalist who previously served as state treasurer, became Rhode Island’s first woman governor — and the first Democrat elected since 1992 — when she won election in 2014.
According to EMILY’s List, “Gina’s leadership, strong business background, and vision have helped Rhode Island turn the corner on its long-running economic struggles as businesses big and small choose to bring more jobs to the Ocean State. Her business savvy has helped the Rhode Island government serve people more effectively and efficiently, and Gina has funneled those savings into workforce training programs that match community colleges with local employers.”
Yet Raimondo remains a polarizing figure for many Rhode Islanders due to the pension overhaul she spearheaded as state treasurer in 2011. While supporters point to her energy and persistence in trying to improve Rhode Island’s economy, critics question the use of millions of dollars in incentives to attract businesses, among other things.
An absence of recently disclosed polling leaves Raimondo’s level of public support something of a a guessing game.
Meanwhile, fallout from the troubled implementation of the state’s Unified Health Infrastructure Project, UHIP, remains a wild card in the 2018 election.
In 2014, Raimondo beat Cranston Mayor Allan Fung, a Republican, by slightly more than four percentage points, while Moderate Party candidate Robert Healey, who has since died, attracted 21 percent of the vote.
Fung is considered a likely candidate in 2018, although he has declined to specify his plans. Other Republicans and Democrats are watching the landscape closely as they consider trying to dislodge Raimondo.
This post has been updated.
