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Rep. John Loughlin II, the only declared Republican candidate in Rhode Island's 1st Congressional District, just might stand to the left of conservative commentator Sean Hannity.
That's one possible conclusion from Loughlin's appearance Monday on Hannity's Fox News television show. Another is that Loughlin is nonetheless a decidedly conservative candidate in what he acknowledged is a liberal state.
The Tiverton legislator declared for Congress months before Democrat Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy announced his retirement and formally announced his candidacy Feb. 4. He passed up Hannity's invitations to offer harsh criticism of Kennedy and President Obama.
Were people "fed up'' with Kennedy? Should an official with Kennedy's "personal issues'' step aside? Hannity asked.
"Well, I think in this case it was more the economic climate that Rhode Islanders face every day,'' replied Loughlin. "I mean, we've got almost 13 percent unemployment. We've got record foreclosures.''
Is Mr. Obama a failure? asked Hannity.
"I wouldn't go so far as to say he's a total failure at this point,'' Loughlin answered. "I think many of his policies have been the wrong policies at the wrong time,'' he said, citing what he called Mr. Obama's "emphasis on health care above all else,'' at a time when the economy was the chief voter concern.
Loughlin also highlighted his support for gay civil unions -- though "not necessarily gay marriage'' -- as a departure from others on the right.
But Loughlin left no doubt that he is a conservative Republican. He noted that he has taken a formal pledge against supporting tax increases. And he told Hannity that he will not accept "earmarks'' -- a form of special appropriations for particular spending projects, often in a legislator's home district or favored industries.
"Do you ever find yourself in agreement with Nancy Pelosi?'' Hannity asked, referring to the liberal Democratic House speaker from California -- a favorite demon of the right.
"No. Never,'' said Loughlin. ``Not that I can think of, no.''
Hannity, incidentally, noted that he had lived in Rhode Island for five years as a young man, before launching his radio career. "It's a tough state,'' he said. Later in the interview, he praised the clam chowder at Newport's Black Pearl restaurant and perennial Cool Moose Party candidate Robert Healy.
Here is the link to Loughlin's appearance on the Hannity show.
