TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for April 3, 2026

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Democrats Gov. Dan McKee and Helena Foulkes are incrementally ramping up their campaign messaging, rolling out policy takes and lobbing a few mudpies at the enemy camp. McKee is naturally striving to exploit his incumbency, using his day job to highlight such primary-friendly issues as women’s health and his proposed child tax credit. Foulkes has sounded a message on good government while weighing in on renewables and energy costs. Neither campaign has gone up with television ads, but each is looking for opportunities to pounce. McKee’s campaign jumped last week on how Foulkes, during an interview on WPRI’s Newsmakers, said she wasn’t concerned about the conservative politics of the ownership of The Home Depot, after having served as a paid board member there for eight years. Yeah, some local progressives will shop at Lowe’s given the choice. But if Rhode Islanders are asked about their concerns, any number of things – housing, state spending, the economy, schools, the competence of state government – carry considerably more weight. Now comes Ken Block, running as an independent in his third bid for governor. Block vows a laser-focus on the dysfunction of Rhode Island government, as demonstrated by the Washington Bridge, the troubled state payroll system, and any number of other shortcomings. Block got 45% of the vote when he lost the 2014 GOP primary for governor to Allan Fung, and winning a statewide race as an independent is a tall order. But perhaps a bit like the late Robert “Cool Moose” Healey – who made a surprisingly strong showing in 2014 – Block has built his brand over time. By running as an independent, he gets to skip a primary while focusing on “a mercifully short campaign” and his critique of state government may resonate with a frustrated public. For now, polls consistently show Foulkes with a lead, although the primary race in September is very much up for grabs due to the large percentage of undecided voters.

The former Satin Doll location on Aborn Street in Providence is poised to become a sports bar under the direction of Robert Andreozzi and Jesse Hedberg, the team responsible for Pizza Marvin and Club Frills. A June opening is planned to coincide with the World Cup. Kayleigh Speck is coming over from Frills to manage the new venue. “We will be offering all the typical fare you would expect in a sports bar but with that Marvin flair,” Andreozzi tells TGIF. Durk’s BBQ closed late last year after an eight-year run at the former strip bar location.

While the Rhode Island Republican Party has failed for years to increase its numbers in the General Assembly, the conservative-leaning League of Rhode Island Businesses (LORIB) is wielding the kind of bold tactics that bear watching. LORIB is backing Dana James Traversie for the Warwick seat held by House Speaker Joe Shekarchi and the group said via Facebook that it is poised to unveil a candidate to run against Senate President Val Lawson of East Providence. LORIB emerged late last year (see #8), when organizer David J. Levesque cited a plan to elect what he called common-sense lawmakers. Critics see it as a pro-gun group wrapped in a business wrapper. Regardless, creating a statewide network of 40 independent political action committees shows an understanding of the importance of campaign fundraising. LORIB said many of its candidates would run as Democrats. The group gained early attention for supporting Mark Mesrobian, a cousin of Senate Whip David Tikoian (D-Smithfield), against progressive Sen. Alana DiMario (D-Narragansett). Targeting the respective House and the Senate leaders raises the stakes, particularly with Shekarchi potentially seeking a vacant seat on the RI Supreme Court. (Traversie got 40% of the vote while running as a Republican against Shekarchi in 2022.) As devotees of The Wire say, “You come at the king, you best not miss.”

East Providence faced a cash-flow crisis 15 years ago, one of a number of Rhode Island cities and towns that struggled financially in the aftermath of the Great Recession. While challenges haven’t completely faded, EP Mayor Roberto DaSilva said the tax base is growing in Rhode Island’s fifth-largest city thanks to the redevelopment of former industrial sites. DaSilva’s latest budget raised the tax levy by the maximum 4% allowed under state law – a situation mostly attributed by the mayor to voter–approved borrowing for school construction. “We as a city face the same challenges that everybody else does,” DaSilva said during an interview on One on One this week, “but what we try to do is expand the tax base so that it doesn’t affect those taxpayers as much as possible.” He said final figures are not yet available for how a projected $50 million in new growth might mediate tax rates this spring. On the plus side, East Providence is known as one of the state’s most welcoming communities for new housing, and although the financing was initially challenging, work is moving ahead on a development with more than 140 affordable apartments on Taunton Avenue.

The price of dockside diesel has climbed by nearly 50% since February, eating into already slim profits for fishermen in Rhode Island, as my colleague David Wright reports: “The timing couldn’t be worse for the fleet, according to Meghan Lapp of Seafreeze, one of the East Coast’s largest seafood processors and distributors. She says the sudden spike in diesel fuel costs is dealing a heavy blow to an economic sector already battered by rough weather, tight regulations, and various environmental factors. ‘The commercial fishing industry is currently seeing its lowest profits in 30 years,’ she said. ‘When you have a fuel increase it hits you a lot harder than it would have years ago.’ And, she notes, it’s a double whammy: Not only do high diesel prices punish the fishermen out on the water, they also hit the truckers who deliver the catch to grocery stores, fish markets and restaurants.”

The debate will sharpen now that the Providence City Council has made initial approval of a rent stabilization measure, although without enough support to override a veto by Mayor Brett Smiley. Opponents argue the measure will not have the effect of lowering housing costs. Council President Rachel Miller sees it differently, saying in a statement, “The Providence City Council spoke for the 60% of residents in our city who rent their homes. We spoke for a positive vision of Providence where we build more housing, protect the homes we have, and stabilize rents so families can plan for their future, while ensuring property owners can continue to maintain and invest in their buildings.”

For a long time, it seemed like former state Rep. John Loughlin, now a GOP candidate for lieutenant governor, was the most enthusiastic advocate for boosting the local use of nuclear power. Now, though, nuclear power is having a bit of a moment. Gov. McKee, for example, joined with other New England governors for a joint statement this week outlining a regional commitment to exploring advanced nuclear technologies. Advocates contend next-gen nuclear power is well-suited to meeting future energy needs, but there are still concerns about safety and feasibility.

Best wishes to Alexa Gagosz of Globe RI as she gets set to take on a new assignment in the Hub …. The new investigations editor at the NYT, Brendan McCarthy, is a native of Woonsocket …. General Treasurer James Diossa launched his re-election campaign with a video …. The Johnston Democratic Town Committee endorsed Helena Foulkes, Xay Khamsyvoravong for LG and Kim Ahern for AG …. Ahern was also endorsed by Howard Dean …. LG candidate Cindy Coyne’s campaign team includes John Goodman as campaign manager, Tricia Kammerer on fundraising and strategy and Mindy Myers on campaign media and advertising …. RIBCO endorsed Joe Solomon for AG …. U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna endorsed David Morales for mayor of Providence …. Mayor DaSilva endorsed Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos …. U.S. District Court has posted a notice for RI’s top federal prosecutor.

Janet Coit, the new executive director of Farm Fresh Rhode Island, spoke with Luis Hernandez about taking over the nonprofit in a time of reduced federal funding: “Farm Fresh Rhode Island lost $3 million abruptly. Like so many nonprofit organizations, when this administration cut back on federal funding, that (was) a devastating, sudden impact on the organization’s budget. So they had to let people go – which is also wrenching – and trim the sails a bit to make sure that the expenses matched the revenue stream. The need is expanding in Rhode Island, both in regard to families that are food insecure, but also the need to support farmers and fishermen who have expenses rising, including incredibly expensive land in Rhode Island. So what Farm Fresh needs to do, and I’m very excited to be part of this, is diversify the funding streams. (We) can’t really depend as much on federal funds at the moment.”

As a political reporter, I’m not about to walk away from social media, but I have cut back on my consumption of it. Here’s an eye-opening read from Cal Newport, a professor of computer science at Georgetown University, on our overreliance on “digital Doritos.” Excerpt: “We should consider taking as strong a stance against ultraprocessed content as we already do against ultraprocessed food. Which is to say: Most people should avoid these diversions most of the time. In the same way that you’re unlikely to eat Twinkies as a regular snack or still believe that Pop-Tarts provide a balanced breakfast, stop consuming ultraprocessed content. Don’t use TikTok. Don’t use Instagram. Don’t use X. Their sugar-high benefits aren’t worth the costs.”