Projo Politics Blog

Three more Republicans are joining the party’s effort to break the Democratic stranglehold on the city’s General Assembly seats.

Ten Republican candidates declared their intention to run for the General Assembly yesterday, the deadline for filing individual declarations. The state party today appointed three more candidates to run, said city party Chairman David Talan.

The state party can appoint candidates to run for office for 24 hours after the declaration deadline. Yesterday, 10 Providence Republicans, and one Republican-supported Independent, declared their intention to run for the General Assembly in Providence.

Elaina Goldstein of 71 Savoy St. hopes to challenge incumbent Democrat Rhoda Perry for her 3rd Senate District seat, representing much of the East Side. Goldstein lost to Perry in 2006, taking 26 percent of the vote.

Kofua Kulah, of 125 Wallace St., was appointed to challenge incumbent Democratic Sen. Paul Jabour for his 5th Senate District seat, representing Federal Hill.

Damien Baldino, of 192 Ophelia St., was appointed to run against the winner of the Democratic primary between incumbent Rep. Steven Smith and challenger John Carnevale.

Declared candidates must now pick up nomination papers by July 1. To get on the ballot, they must obtain signatures of Providence voters -- 50 for the House and 100 for the Senate -- and return them by July 11.

Providence has not sent a Republican to the Assembly since 1994.

-- Journal staff writer Daniel Barbarisi

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