Projo Politics Blog

Rep. Charlene Lima, D-Cranston, is getting her first taste of presidential politics this year. And Lima, who serves among the legislative leadership as the House speaker tempore, couldn’t be happier with her new role.

She is the unofficial liaison between the Rhode Island House of Representatives and the presidential campaign of Hillary Rodham Clinton. It is a distinction Lima has held since being contacted by the Clinton campaign in the spring.

“I’m thrilled to have the honor to work as a liaison for the House and a presidential candidate,” Lima told Political Scene. “I respect Hillary Clinton as a candidate for her work and efforts as a woman.”

What does one do as Hillary’s liaison to the House?

“Whatever they ask me to do,” Lima replied. “They’re kind of teaching me as I go.”

Already, she has conducted an unofficial survey of representatives that prompted a news release from the Clinton campaign last week with the headline, “RI Speaker Tempore Charlene Lima, State Legislators Endorse Clinton.” Lima’s endorsement is listed along with seven other Democratic reps: Elizabeth Dennigan, Amy Rice, Peter Wasylyk, Joseph McNamara, Grace Diaz, Edith Ajello and Patricia Serpa.“I am grateful for the overwhelming support I’ve received in Rhode Island,” Clinton said in the news release (the Clinton campaign did not respond Friday to Political Scene’s request for additional comment). “With the help of these local leaders, we’ll take our message of change across the state and this nation.”

Lima said she polled roughly half the House last month and stopped counting when she found 10 members who would endorse Clinton. The rest were undecided, she said, while at least one had settled on Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.

Lima’s crew has joined several other Rhode Island pols who have already endorsed the former first lady. Among them: Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Rep. James Langevin, Secretary of State Ralph Mollis and Providence Mayor David Cicilline.Rhode Island’s Democratic primary, incidentally, is scheduled for March 18, 2008.

What will Lima do in the meantime?

She said she’s trying to find a liaison on the Senate side. And she’s on call for any Clinton events, none of which have been formally scheduled.

“They’re talking about a couple more fundraisers coming up this summer,” Lima said. “It’s early. But it’s a credit to her that she’s out there already.”

speoples@projo.com

---