Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, generally considered the most popular governor in the U.S., is slated to headline an August 28 fundraiser for the Rhode Island Republican Party.
Attracting Baker is something of a coup because of his friendly relationship with Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo, a Democrat.
“I’m thrilled,” said state GOP Chairman Brandon Bell. “Charlie Baker has done just an incredible job in the commonwealth. He’s done a great job of governing. Massachusetts is thriving. There are cranes in the sky.”
The Hope Club will be the site for the fundraiser, with suggested contribution levels of $100 and $250. The fundraiser will include a private reception, where admittance will cost a contribution of $2,500.
Separate polls by the Washington, D.C. firm Morning Consult have shown Baker as the most popular governor in the nation. At the same time, Raimondo and Baker have communicated about possibly collaborating on different initiatives.
The effort to attract Baker for a GOP fundraiser follows considerable effort by the RI GOP. Baker made a contribution to Raimondo’s 2014 run for governor and they attended each others’ inauguration.
Bell said Baker is part of why Massachusetts is thriving, although the Boston area’s hot economy precedes his time in office.
“We should learn a lesson from Massachusetts, because they’re doing so well and we’re not,” Bell said. “I attribute a lot of that to Charlie Baker’s leadership. Charlie Baker is the type of governor we’d like to see in this state.”
This post has been updated.
