With the March 4 primaries just around the corner, both the Democratic and Republican campaigns have bolstered their efforts in Rhode Island. For the Democratic contenders from Illinois and New York, Sens. Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton, Rhode Island's 32 delegates are important for a race in which every delegate counts.
Sen. John McCain, the Republican front-runner, is expected to get the nomination, said Wendy Schiller, associate professor of political science, adding that he does not need to win Rhode Island or the 20 delegates that are at stake in its Republican primary.
Both Democratic candidates have opened up local operation centers in Providence within the last week. Obama's headquarters opened last Thursday, while Clinton's headquarters opened Feb. 19. Clinton's opening drew some of the state's top Democratic politicians, including Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, U.S. Rep. James Langevin, Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts '78 and Mayor David Cicilline '83, said Jennifer Bramley, deputy communications director of Clinton's local headquarters in Providence, prior to the event.
Former Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty and Attorney General Patrick Lynch '87 attended the opening of Obama's headquarters, according to a Feb. 14 article in the Providence Journal. Former Sen. Lincoln Chafee '75, who endorsed Obama, was not in attendance.
The Democratic candidates are doing more than opening up offices in the state. Several members of the Clinton family will soon come to the state to campaign. This Sunday, Clinton is scheduled to appear in Rhode Island for a fundraiser and open press events, said campaign spokesman Blake Zeff '99.
Bill Clinton will campaign in Rhode Island this Friday evening on behalf of his wife, according to a press release from the Clinton Campaign. Chelsea Clinton is expected to visit Providence soon after her mother's visit on Sunday, said Craig Auster '08, one of the co-leaders of Brown Students for Hillary. The group is pushing for Chelsea to come to Brown, he said.
Michelle Obama held a "Stand for Change" rally in Warwick last night at the Community College of Rhode Island's Knight Campus.
Cameron Monagle, an intern at the Obama for America Providence office, was unable to confirm whether Obama would be visiting Rhode Island before the primary. He said the office hoped for a visit from the senator but, "to be honest, his schedule isn't done that far in advance."
In the meantime, the campaign is focusing on calling voters and canvassing, "because we found that was the most effective way to get to the voters," Monagle said.
Last Thursday, McCain attended a rally in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick before a crowd of more than 1,000 people.
Clinton has been stronger than Obama in her fundraising efforts in Rhode Island and New England. To date, she has raised $467,206 in Rhode Island and $251,998 in Providence, according to CNN data released Feb. 1.
Obama has raised only $150,866 in Rhode Island and $86,582 in Providence. However, in January, Obama's campaign took in $32 million nationally while Clinton's campaign raised only $13 million, CNN reported.
While Rhode Island's primary is not as crucial as those in Ohio or Texas, which offer 161 and 228 delegates respectively for the Democrats and 88 and 140 delegates for Republicans, it still matters, Schiller said. "Every single delegate counts from now on," she said, adding that Clinton needs to make up delegates if she hopes to win the nomination. "She needs Rhode Island more than Obama needs Rhode Island."
Schiller predicted that Clinton would make more visits to the state than Obama, who would try to pitch his campaign through more television commercials. Obama's campaign, she noted, has emphasized his healthcare plan in local television advertisements to compete with Clinton, who does well among lower-income voters. While Clinton is expected to do well with native Rhode Islanders, Obama's campaign will count on students who are registered in Rhode Island, she said.
A new poll released by the Taubman Center for Public Policy indicates the margin between Obama and Clinton in Rhode Island is narrowing, The Herald reported Feb. 15.
Schiller predicts that Clinton will "squeak out a win in Rhode Island" because she has done well in the East Coast so far.
Student groups on campus are gearing up to muster support for their candidates. Brown Students for Hillary hosted a "Hillary Hour" at Spats last night and are hosting another event aimed at undecided voters at Blue State Coffee tonight, Auster said. The group will continue to canvass on weekends and will be doing a "big get out the vote push" the last weekend before the primary, Auster said. The group is working closely with the staff at Clinton's Providence headquarters.
Brown Students for Barack Obama is also actively campaigning in conjunction with Obama's Providence office, said Max Chaiken '09, head of the group and a Herald opinions columnist. They will be making phone calls and knocking on doors, he added.
"Campaigns are won by people reaching out to other people," Chaiken said.
Brown College Republicans will not be doing a get-out-the-vote initiative since McCain appears to be the presumptive nominee, said Marc Frank '09, the head of the group. Though the senator does not have an office here, Frank said, he does have a good volunteer network in Rhode Island.
Frank said he was excited about the March 4 primary and expressed approval that it had not been moved to Feb. 5, when it would not have mattered as much. Gov. Donald Carcieri '65 vetoed a bill to move the primary to Feb. 5. Though the College Republicans will not endorse any nominee, Frank said, if McCain becomes the Republican nominee the group will support him. Within the group, there has been some talk of McCain not being "a good conservative," Frank said. "I'm very wary of John McCain. I'm personally not happy he's our nominee, but I will support him."
Sean Quigley '10, a member of the Brown College Republicans executive board and a Herald opinions columnist, said he was "getting tired of this McCain-isn't-a-conservative jumbo."
All three groups expressed excitement about the upcoming primary. "Rhode Island matters," Schiller said.
