Analyzing The Public’s Perception of Rhode Island’s Politicians

In the Oct. 4, 2024, episode of “A Lively Experiment,” moderator Jim Hummel and panelists discussed a new poll that gauged the popularity of Rhode Island’s politicians. Panelists also gave their takes on the recent vice presidential debate between Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio).

Hummel was joined by Scott MacKay, a political contributor; Emily Lynch, a professor of political science at the University of Rhode Island; and Jesus Solorio, a GOP strategist.

This discussion has been condensed and edited for clarity. Watch the full episode of “A Lively Experiment” here.

A new poll conducted by the Pell Center at Salve Regina University showed that 34% of respondents in Rhode Island approved of the job that Rhode Island Gov. Daniel McKee was doing, with 56% disapproving at the national level. The poll also found that Vice President Kamala Harris held a 14-point lead in the state over former President Donald Trump.

Lynch said that the high disapproval ratings for the governor were not surprising.

The polls are “consistent with what we saw over the summer with a couple different polls,” Lynch said.

“But I’m sure that the Foulkes camp is paying attention to these polls, and yeah, I don’t see many surprises there with that, with the rating,” she said.

Helena Foulkes lost to McKee by less than 4,000 votes during a five-way Democratic primary in 2022.

MacKay said that the most interesting result from the poll was that U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, a Democrat who has been in office since 1997, had some of the highest numbers among statewide officeholders, coming in at 60%

“Rhode Islanders have always been, if you look back, years even, have always been pretty skeptical about their governors and their local political people,” he said. “The favorability of the assembly of the governor, it’s pretty much always been low.

“This one, I think, is probably also affected by the string of bad news we’ve had about the Washington Bridge.”

Solorio said that the Republicans’ silver lining in the upcoming election is that about one-third of the public does not know who the candidates are.

“So I think it’s an opportunity for Republicans to start identifying potential candidates for 2026,” he said. “And I think what we saw with Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos and the signature debacle (two people have been charged for allegedly collecting fraudulent signatures during Matos’ failed congressional campaign in 2023) I mean, that’s gonna follow her until 2026.

“And the bridge will follow Gov. McKee into 2026.”

Including the controversy surrounding the Washington Bridge, McKee’s other political headaches during his term have included the recent layoffs involving CVS and the possibility that Hasbro may move its headquarters from Rhode Island to Boston. Solorio said that McKee has had a “disastrous administration” since he became governor.

Lynch said the bridge issue was an “important factor” in determining McKee’s low ratings — but not the only one.

But when the names of potential opponents for McKee in the 2026 race were mentioned—including Foulkes, Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore and House Speaker Joseph Shekarchi — MacKay said it was “way early” to speculate on what the political landscape might look like two years from now.

“I do think that Foulkes ran a pretty good campaign last time, and her TV was great,” he said. “Her only problem was her organization.

“And she also didn’t have a really good campaign manager and staff, which is what you need, and a ground game. And one thing that McKee luckily had for him was the support of a lot of organized labor, because those people are good at communicating with their members, and they’re very good when it comes to the ground game.”

MacKay added that Foulkes needs to expand her base, observing that she “is moving her feet around.”

“She’s really getting out there a lot,” he said.

As for Republicans, MacKay believes the GOP would do better in the general election if they had stronger candidates.

Solorio said Republicans have been focusing on doing just that.

“We had a really great lineup of candidates that ran for state representatives (in 2022),” he said. “Some of them are running again.

“And I do agree, we need to start identifying and building up those (in the) General Assembly.”

Solorio added that the Democrats had some “very weak” candidates statewide.

“Lt. Gov. Matos, again, very weak candidate. Gov. Dan McKee, I don’t think he survives a primary election,” he said. “And then Amore and some of the other statewide candidates just don’t have that strong name ID that they think they do.”

While vice presidential debates rarely move the needle in determining the presidential winner, Solorio said the one between Walz and Vance does because the Democratic candidates “have been hiding from the media.”

“(Harris and Walz have) only done about 10 or a dozen so interviews since they were anointed (as) the nominees,” he said. “And so I think that it is a clear contrast between Sen. Vance and how he would be prepared to take the role on as president should that need come.”

MacKay said that Vance had a strong start in the debate, but “his close was terrible.”

“I do think that he was smooth, very good, and came out from the start very well and on message,” MacKay said. “And I don’t think that vice presidential candidate Walz was good at the start. He looked kind of nervous. He was talking quickly.

Lynch said that the debate was “more civil” and that both candidates presented themselves as more moderate than their running mates.

“They were moderate in issues related to abortion and guns, which makes sense that we see this in a vice presidential or a presidential debate of trying to get those voters in the middle,” she said,

MacKay reiterated that the outcome of the vice presidential debate would not swing the election one way or the other.

“I do think that Vance obviously is trying to lay down a template for his future in the Republican Party,” he said.

Lynch agreed.

“Yeah, I definitely agree and, but I think in the end, the vice presidential debate is not going to be like the be all, end all, of how people decide how to vote,” she said. “And I think that neither of them made any major gaffes, right?

“So that was probably like the best thing for both of them.”

“I mean, one came out as a knucklehead,” Solorio chuckled.

“A self-proclaimed knucklehead, right?” Hummel added.