Sen. Rhoda Perry P'91, D-Providence, was unopposed in last Tuesday's primary elections, but the defeats of 10 sitting state legislators that night signaled that a national anti-incumbent mood might have traction in the Ocean State.
This November, the 20-year veteran state legislator will face competition in the race to determine whether she will again represent Brown's district in the General Assembly. Republican Morris Markovitz — who said he is running against the Democratic domination of Rhode Island's politics — and independent Miriam Ross — who touts her support for local small businesses — are both vying to replace Perry in the Senate.
"I will work hard, as I always have done," Perry said of her reelection efforts, adding that she has run unopposed in the general election only once — in 2008 — since she first gained office in 1990. Over her two decades as a state senator, Perry has risen to prominence within the General Assembly. She currently serves as chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services and as a member of the Senate Committee on Judiciary.
She pointed to achievements on her signature issues of health care and civil liberties as evidence of her commitment to causes important to her constituents. One of the most progressive members of the Senate, Perry said she may not use yard signs in her campaign since many of her supporters view them as "an environmental blight," she said.
"It's a combination of hard work and having been successful at getting important public policy adopted that my constituency supports, which is progressive and liberal legislation," Perry said. In particular, Perry said she is proud of legislative accomplishments combating human trafficking, ensuring women have access to contraceptives under health insurance plans and expanding the rights of gays and lesbians.
Perry's reliable advocacy for progressive causes and strong support on the East Side make her well positioned for the November general election, according to Maureen Moakley, chair of the University of Rhode Island department of political science.
"She is one of the most liberal, progressive members of the Senate," Moakley said. "She's always been very up-front and consistent in her views, and I would expect that she would be able to carry the day."
The smaller role that special interests play in general elections will likely make incumbents more secure in November than they were in the primaries, Moakley said.
"My take would be that the vetting has been accomplished and there's going to be more predictability in the general election," Moakley said. "The people that were ousted were ousted by activists, and the time to do that is in the primaries."
But two candidates are vying to make sure they oust Perry on Nov. 2.
Markovitz, a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who worked on NASA's Apollo Project, said he volunteered to run because he didn't want Perry's reelection bid to be unopposed. Markovitz has been endorsed by R.I. Clean Slate, a Republican-sponsored initiative aimed at ending "one-party" rule in the state and supporting candidates committed to job creation and lower taxes, he said.
"I didn't plan my campaign or think about it," Markovitz said, adding that so far his only campaign efforts have been to hand out flyers to voters exiting the polls on primary day and to run an ad in the East Side Monthly.
Markovitz said his participation in hearings for the Deepwater Wind project left him "totally disgusted" with a Republican governor and Democratic General Assembly that he believed circumvented the popular will by approving an initiative that will raise taxes and funnel money to an out-of-state company. He said he would refuse a salary if elected.
"We have one-party rule essentially and that's not good — I don't care if it's the Democrats, the Republicans or the Zulu party," Markovitz said.
For Ross, a corporate attorney and adjunct professor at Roger Williams School of Law, the difference between her and Perry comes down to priorities.
"My priorities are very much focused on small business and job creation," Ross said. "We need to create jobs in this state, and the only way we're going to do that is by supporting our small businesses."
Ross credited her experience providing legal counsel to small businesses through her law firm for informing her awareness of the challenges facing the business community and of the need to reform the state's approaches to taxes and regulation. She also pointed to her advocacy for legislation to require small business representation on the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation and to streamline renewable energy regulations as proof of her dedication to small business issues.
Referring to Rhode Island's political status quo, Ross invoked a popular definition of insanity — continuing to do the same thing and expecting a different result.
"We need change, and we need new voices to move our state forward," Ross said.
