Projo Politics Blog

What started out as a letter to the editor by Republican state lawmaker John Loughlin of Tiverton has been turned by the state GOP into a draft Loughlin-for-Congress drive.

In a widely distributed e-mail that went out yesterday, the Rhode Island GOP posed these "questions for Rhode Islanders in the First Congressional District: Do you think it's time we replace Patrick Kennedy in Washington?

"Would you like to see a real challenger emerge who has a proven track record fighting for Rhode Island...A leader who was elected to three terms in the General Assembly...A politician who is so effective and so good at building consensus that he has run unopposed by the majority party twice in a row?

"Is serving in the Army Reserve for 26 years and retiring as a senior officer (lieutenant colonel) and helicopter pilot important experience to bring to Washington? Would you like to have a successful small business owner, with real world experience represent you in Washington? Is it time for the First Congressional District to have a Congressman we can all be proud of again?'' the e-mail asks.

"If you answered yes to these questions, then I encourage you to send an e-mail to State Representative John Loughlin at rep-john@cox.net and tell him,"Run John, Run!!!"

Asked late yesterday if he was interested in challenging Kennedy next year, Loughlin said: "Kind of depends on how many e-mails I receive, I guess.''

The draft-Loughlin campaign began after Loughlin lobbed what certainly sounded like the first shots of a campaign: a letter to the editor disputing Kennedy's Feb. 1 commentary on the potential value of the federal stimulus package, and accusing the congressman of irresponsibly "gambling with our money.''

Wrote Loughlin: "An independent analysis done by The Wall Street Journal concluded that only 12 percent of the bill actually goes toward job creation - 12 percent! That means that 88 percent of this massive spending bill will go toward pet pork projects.''

And then there was this jab: "I found it particularly amusing that the congressman bemoans too little spending to relieve our airports of congestion. While it is well known that Patrick Kennedy has little patience for airport workers and delays, T.F. Green Airport last month, according to The Journal, saw its worst drop in passenger traffic in more than two years...Yet, Congressman Kennedy wants to spend untold millions to relieve congestion - huh?

And this: "There may be great arguments for the congressman's pet projects but I believe this bill is simply not the place for them...Rhode Islanders, who suffer right now from one of America's highest unemployment rates, need real job creation, not silly pet projects.''

State GOP chairman Giovanni Cicione could not be reached this morning to confirm whether he was the one who circulated the draft-Loughlin e-mail.

Days away from his 50th birthday, Loughlin is a self-employed media consultant and commercial advertising producer, who has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2005, and currently serves as the minority whip for the six-member House GOP caucus.

As of late this morning, he said he had received about a dozen very supportive e-mails urging him to run.

"I have not made a decison on whether or not to run,'' he wrote. "its a big step and a big decision. I don't think this is the kind of race where you wake up the day before the filing deadline and say "Gee, I think I'll run for the United States Congress." There needs to be a ton of planning and preparation, months in advance. The bottom line is that if I believe I can be of service to my state and nation in that role, and there is sufficient support, I will work hard to provide the voters of the First a choice.''

 Tags  Giovanni Cicione John Loughlin Rep. Patrick Kennedy Rhode Island Republican Party

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