From the opening bell, the debate among the three top candidates for governor took a negative turn.
Cranston Mayor and Republican Allan Fung blasted Democratic incumbent Gina Raimondo for the failures of UHIP, the infamous state benefits computer system that has messed up food stamps and Medicaid payments to needy Rhode Islanders. Raimondo hammered Fung for a five-year old police ticketing scandal and painted a bleak picture of life in Cranston, the state’s second largest city.
But it was Joe Trillo, the Republican-turned-independent, who engaged in the most florid name-calling. Cranston Mayor Fung was “flip flop Fung” and Governor Raimondo was “giveaway Gina’’ for her policy of using state money and tax incentives to attract business to the state.
Trillo saved his most personal shots for Fung. When Fung fumbled a question about wearing a stocking Donald Trump hat to fend off the chill at President Trump’s inauguration, Trillo pounced.
“Answer the question,” bellowed Trillo, staring at Fung. Fung fired back, saying, “We don’t need a loudmouth on Smith Hill again.”
“A loudmouth might get something done,” replied Trillo. He then called Fung “wimpy.” That prompted Fung to ask if we were back in elementary school.
As Fung and Trillo taunted each other, Raimondo stood silently, giving her best “look at these silly boys yelling at each other on the playground” smile.
Last Thursday turned out to be a good evening to be the lone woman on the debate stage. Earlier had been the gut-wrenching Kavanaugh Supreme Court hearings in Washington, which exposed the raw emotions of vulnerable women and angry men.
As has been the case across the nation in this year of “me too” revelations, Rhode Island voters are deeply split along the bright borders of gender. The most recent public opinion survey done by WPRI pollster Joe Fleming shows sharp divides between male and female voters.
In the governor’s contest, 56 percent of women but only 43 percent of men give Raimondo a favorable job approval rating. Fifty-seven percent of men rate Fung favorably while just 43 percent of women do. Trillo, despite his 16 years at the Statehouse as a Warwick Republican rep, is still not all that well known. But there is a gender gap, too, in his approval ratings, with 25 percent of men viewing him favorably, while just 16 percent of women do. (The poll carries an error margin of about five percentage points.)
The other big gender difference is in views of Trump. Thirty seven percent of Rhode Island men sampled gave Trump favorable ratings. But only 25 percent of women have a favorable view of Trump.
This is why Raimondo’s campaign has launched television ads linking Fung to Trump. You might think it isn’t fair to bring up Trump in a governors’ race where the president doesn’t have much influence over state issues. But in the heat of an election, politicians will use whatever than can to drive up doubts about an opponent. The governor doesn’t much mention Trillo. She doesn’t have to because Trillo is doing her bidding every time he slams Fung.
The problem for Fung is that he’s forced to walk a tightrope on the Republican president. He can’t get too close to Trump if he is going to harvest enough women voters to defeat Raimondo. But he can’t be too tough on Trump for fear of losing voters who like the president.
Democrat Hillary Clinton won a landslide victory over Republican Trump in Rhode Island. But Trump still got about 180,000 votes. Fung needs most of those voters if he is going to defeat Raimondo. On a recent Rhode Island Public Radio interview, Fung said he would govern as a moderate like Massachusetts Republican Charlie Baker, a Trump critic.
Raimondo, without doing much more than staying on her message of an improving economy, gained the advantage after the first debate. But there is plenty of time left before the Nov. 6 vote. Don’t forget to tune in October 15th right here on Rhode Island Public Radio. That’s when we’ll host the next Rhode Island gubernatorial debate with the Providence Journal.
Scott MacKay’s commentary can be heard every Monday morning at 6:45 and 8:45 and in the afternoon at 5:44. You can also follow his political reporting analysis at our “On Politics” blog at Thepublic’sradio.org
