Projo Politics Blog

Republican presidential candidate John McCain will come to Rhode Island Thursday afternoon for a rally in Warwick. He's the first presidential candidate to do so in the lead-up to the state's March 4 primary.

McCain is slated to appear at 1:30 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza, said state Rep. Robert Watson, who is chairman of McCain's campaign in Rhode Island. Watson said the rally is a free-to-the-public, first-come first-serve event.

“We're very excited,” said Watson, an East Greenwich Republican who is House minority leader and who recently traveled with the McCain campaign in New Hampshire and South Carolina.

After commanding wins in many of the Feb. 5 “Super Tuesday” primary contests, and with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's campaign suspended, McCain is the GOP front-runner.

McCain is set to fly from Washington, D.C., for Vermont for a morning event and then come to Rhode Island, where he is expected to spend about two to two-and-a-half hours in Warwick, according to Watson.

There is also expected to be an official meet-and-greet with McCain for his campaign team in the state and McCain supporters. There is also expected to be a fund-raising component.

No word yet on visits from the Democratic candidates, with New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama locked in a battle for delegates. Rhode Island, Vermont, Texas, and Ohio hold presidential primaries on March 4.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney

---