Now, Amo is among 15 Democrats running for an open seat in the First Congressional District, and he faces a challenge in extending his name recognition beyond local political junkies. But as a one-time aide to former Governor Gina Raimondo, Amo has the kind of Rolodex that could help bring in the money he needs to air television ads. He says his story of going from Pawtucket to Pennsylvania Avenue shows he’d be a good advocate for Rhode Island. But can Amo separate himself from the pack and can he outpace the better known candidates in the race? I’m Ian Donnis and this week I’m going in-depth with CD1 Democratic candidate Gabe Amo.
TRANSCRIPT:
Ian Donnis: Welcome to The Public’s Radio.
Gabe Amo: Thanks for having me on Ian. I’m a longtime listener, first time caller. And so I’m pleased to be on here.
Ian Donnis: I have a lot of questions for you about your congressional run. But I want to start with what continues to be a huge story in Rhode Island the disastrous trip to Philadelphia by two Rhode Island officials. What is your assessment of Governor McKee’s handling of this situation?
Gabe Amo: Frankly, I’m embarrassed as a Rhode Islander and disappointed. Mr. Patten’s words speak for themselves. And there is no place in our state, a state that’s built on tolerance and inclusion in our history, to have someone really be racist and misogynistic in their words. And, frankly, you know, extortionist in the way that they behaved relating to those gifts. And I think Mr. Patten is an at will employee. So I disagree with a statement that I saw the lieutenant governor put out, I think it is essential that we move swiftly and restore the greatness of Rhode Island that everybody knows and loves.
Ian Donnis: Should David Patten be terminated from his state job?
Gabe Amo: I think, having been an at will employee I think they should move swiftly with whatever process they’re going through because the state can’t stand these embarrassments. We have to focus on what’s important – that’s investing in our people and investing in all the things that make our state great.
Ian Donnis: And David Patten is the head of the state properties administration Division at the Department of Administration. He’s on leave, his lawyer says he was suffering from an acute emotional stress at the time of this episode. One more quick question on this, what are the top unanswered questions that you have about this troubled Philadelphia trip by two Rhode Island officials at this point?
Gabe Amo: Frankly, just the timeline, it seems that as soon as we knew something like this would happen. I know, I certainly would not be able to get away with such behavior in my career as a government employee. So the swiftness with which we need to take action needs to be fully communicated. And we need to move past this as soon as we can.
Ian Donnis: But let’s get back to the Gabe Amo story. Why are you running for this open seat in the first congressional district?
Gabe Amo: Ian, I’m running, because I have experience at the heights of government working for Governor Raimondo here in Rhode Island and working for Presidents Obama and Biden. And I want to be an effective leader for the people of the first congressional district from day one and take on the big fights. It is essential, especially when you’re number 435, out of 435, that we hit the ground running with our next congress person, and I can be that person based on the great values that I developed here in Rhode Island, and the experience that I have to deliver for the people of the first congressional district.
Ian Donnis: At this stage, there are roughly 15 Democrats running, a huge field, and some of the candidates are better known than you. What is your path to victory? And how do you get there?
Gabe Amo: Well Ian, it’s going to be like things that I’m doing today. I know this is being recorded on Thursday, I’m doing one of my Gabe on the road series. I’m spending time with Rhode Islanders hearing their stories, visiting small businesses, hearing stories of success, but also stories of opportunity. And I am convinced that when people spend time hearing the thoughtfulness and determination and enthusiasm for this job that you can get out of me. People will certainly open up and support our campaign to deliver for the people of the first congressional district.
Ian Donnis: You’re a native of Pawtucket. Pawtucket has its prosperous to areas like Oak Hill and also more hardscrabble areas like Fairlawn. If you were to be the next member of Congress from CD-1, what could you actually do to improve the standard of living for people who are struggling with the economy in places like Fairlawn?
Gabe Amo: I would work hard with the elected officials there to bring resources back to invest in workforce training. To invest in housing to make sure that we are doing everything we can whether you live in Woodlawn, or you live in Countryside, two known Pawtucket neighborhoods, that we are doing everything we can to tap into the talents and the possibilities for people. When I look at the infrastructure law, I see so many jobs and opportunities, whether it’s in laying broadband, or investing in our climate resilience work, I see similar in the inflation Reduction Act. So for me, it’s about the economy. It’s about jobs, and making sure that we tap into the talents of our people.
Ian Donnis: As you say, you’ve worked with brand name, Democrats like Gina Raimondo, and Joe Biden. So why were Democrats so ineffective in countering the GOP strategy that successfully moved the Supreme Court to the right.
Gabe Amo: Well, it’s a long project from them, Ian, as you know, and I think our goal, and our focus should be on values. What has happened so often with Republicans is they co-opt terms that we all should own, like freedom. And I want to fight for our freedoms, whether it’s our freedom from gun violence, whether it’s our freedom for reproductive rights, we need to focus on core values as Democrats. And we have to think about the long term. This is why I am so interested in being a part of a new wave a new generation of leadership in Washington to help carry on those big fights.
Ian Donnis: We’re talking here with Gabe Amo, one of many Democrats running in the first congressional district and a couple of questions about your former boss, Gina Raimondo. What letter grade would you give her for her work as governor?
Gabe Amo: I give her an A.
Ian Donnis: Even if her efforts were energetic to improve Rhode Island’s economy, it seems like Rhode Island still suffers from familiar problems like underperforming public schools, and an absence of well defined engines of growth. Why was she not able to make more headway on that?
Gabe Amo: Well Ian, I think government is a marathon and she has now passed the baton. And this is why I’m in the race, because there is work to do. And I think even though there are certain parts of her mission that weren’t necessarily complete, we have the opportunity to elect someone like me, who wants to invest in our people do everything in their power, I will tap into my experience and the reservoir of knowledge that I have about our federal programs about our opportunities here in our state to take advantage of this opportunity to invest here in Rhode Island.
Ian Donnis: There has been some sharp debate this legislative session in Rhode Island about the 2011 pension overhaul spearheaded by Gina Raimondo. Are critics right to say that she went too far in breaking promises made to retirees?
Gabe Amo: Well, I think the challenge at hand there that so many people experience were promises that could not be met. And it is essential that we do everything we can to get our pension funded, so that those retirees are able to see some of their benefits returned. But it was a difficult position for the state to be put in. And that was done by leaders who did not have foresight for what that impact could be on the whole of our state including so essentially, our retirees.
Ian Donnis: Your hometown of Pawtucket has lost one of the key assets that was present when you were growing up the Paw Sox. Was the move of the Paw Sox to Worcester, a failure of leadership by Governor Raimondo?
Gabe Amo: I love those $8 tickets as much as anybody else. And I don’t think it was a failure of leadership from Governor Raimondo. In fact, she worked very hard, diligently. I sat a few feet outside of her office when I worked in the governor’s office. And I know that she worked really hard to try to keep them here.
Ian Donnis: Why couldn’t she get the deal done?
Gabe Amo: I think there were a lot of players in there, Ian as you may remember, including a former Speaker of the House, and so I would not lay that blame at at her feet. There were several, several obstacles and hurdles. And unfortunately, we couldn’t overcome that. But I’m hopeful that we’ll get to some soccer in Pawtucket because any investment we can make, especially in our core, urban communities are really meaningful, especially for a kid like me who grew up in Pawtucket, to have those opportunities for recreation and events means all of the world of difference in sometimes the outcome of a kid’s life.
Ian Donnis: Attorney General Peter Neronha has been an outspoken voice in sounding off for the need for a long term strategy on health care, and hospitals in Rhode Island. It seems like there’s been an absence of a long term strategy for many years. What role do you see for the next member of Congress on that?
Gabe Amo: This is why it’s so essential to have folks who are committed to the whole range of of the responsibilities we have, as a congressperson, you can serve as a key convener, key convener of stakeholders locally, key convener of stake holders nationally who have best practices that we should bring together to take on what is a massive challenge. I’ve certainly consumed many of the Attorney General’s tweets on this topic. And I want to roll up my sleeves and actually sit with him as soon as I can, to see what he and other key stakeholders think is the path forward and bringing people together because we will not be able to do this with one elected official, or with one part of a strategy, we’re going to have to come together,
Ian Donnis: I don’t need to tell you how polarized the United States is, as a country, what would your prescription be for making the U.S. less brittle?
Gabe Amo: It sort of goes back to what I mentioned earlier: an appeal to values. I think you see some core pieces of our purpose, our purpose as communities, our purpose as government missing, right? We need to focus on restoring trust and trust in a lot of ways in government is about elected officials, is about folks in the bureaucracy actually delivering for people, delivering results. You see my work at the White House on the bipartisan infrastructure law. I was calling Republican mayors across the country to get them to call their delegations, often led led by Republicans to get them to vote in the affirmative for the legislation, because it was about delivering for people. A core value: is the government going to work to make sure that my life tomorrow is better than my life today? And that’s what I want to focus on as a member of Congress. I’m committed to it. My life is based on a lot of people who invested in me, who invested in the possibility that I could contribute. And I have had the opportunity to do that for President Biden. I’ve had the opportunity to do that here at the State House, even got a great stamp of approval from former White House Chief of Staff, Ron Klain to having the mayor of Newport support me because it is essential that we come together and restore our commitment to core values of helping our communities together.
Ian Donnis:With about 15 seconds. What is your favorite restaurant in the first congressional district?
Gabe Amo: Ian, you’re gonna get me in trouble here. But I would say a favorite of late has been Bywater in Warren. I had such a fabulous dinner there a few weeks ago, and I can’t wait to go back, but I have so many other favorite restaurants and I look forward to highlighting them on hashtag Gabe on the road.
Ian Donnis: Gabe Amo a candidate in Rhode Island’s first congressional district, thank you very much for joining us.
Gabe Amo: Thank you so much for having me and it’s been a pleasure.
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The legislative year is ending without votes on a few high-profile gun bills. Although a ban on new sales of military-style rifles could probably pass the House, Speaker Joe Shekarchi appeared reluctant to call a vote given Senate President Dominick Ruggerio’s opposition to the ban. But on a different issue — payday lending — Shekarchi was fine with a vote going forward even as Ruggerio remained inscrutable on the issue. What’s to explain Shekarchi’s different approach to two different issues? In part, it may come down to his growing confidence with being speaker during his third session in that role. You can read more about that in my Friday TGIF column, posting around 4 this afternoon on my twitter at IanDon and on our website at the publics radio.org.
That’s our show for this week. Our producer is James Baumgartner.
I’m Ian Donnis and I’ll see you on the radio.
