Bartholomewtown News: One Week to go Until the Primaries

Bill Bartholomew


THE RHODE ISLAND GOP GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES

Cranston Mayor Allan Fung, businessman Giovanni Feroce and House Minority Leader, Representative Patricia Morgan - faced-off against each other in what will be their one and only pre-primary debate on Friday August 31st.  Conducted live, on-air, and inside the studios of Woonsocket, RI radio station WNRI, the debate was moderated by conservative talk radio host John DePetro, and though the candidates were each able to state their key positions, the forum felt more like a group interview than a classical debate.  

---

---

The Bartholomewtown Podcast was at WNRI’s studios for the event, observing and live Tweeting the debate.

More than half of the initial questions proposed by Mr. DePetro began with an attack on Governor Gina Raimondo, allowing only limited time for the three GOP candidates to dig into the specifics of their visions for Rhode Island and how their own positions seperate them from their primary opponents.

Each candidate presented much of what they’ve been pushing throughout the campaign season.  

Mayor Fung emphasized his intention to “keep dollars in Rhode Island” by lowering the sales tax two percent, amongst other fiscal measures, while touting The City of Cranston’s growth during his near decade as Mayor.

Representative Morgan drove home her intention to clean-up what she describes as a corrupt system, citing her “front row seat to disfunction” during six years in The Rhode Island House of Representatives.

Mr. Feroce continued to push his vision for a renewed Rhode Island economy, highlighted by blockchain technology, and also that he believes his experience in government, the military and business uniquely qualify him for the governorship .  He also vowed to serve only one term if elected and called on Mayor Allan Fung to participate in all upcoming GOP gubernatorial debates.

FOLLOWING THE DEBATE I was able to catch up with each of the candidates, joining the media scrum around Mayor Fung, as well as one on one interviews with Giovanni Feroce and Patricia Morgan, which you may stream right here.

---

---

The RHYTHM AND ROOTS FESTIVAL in Charlestown, RI is a summer’s end tradition for many and a new experience for others, including myself, my wife Gabriela and a few friends.  With a New Orleans’ style festival feel, the event served up a wide array of zydeco, folk, blues, western swing and beyond this past weekend.  Even though I grew up in Charlestown, I’d never actually been to the festival, which is held in spacious Ninigret Park.

While I bumped into a decent amount of friends and media members from the Rhode Island music circuit, the festival seemed to draw from a dedicated, specific, regional audience, with one woman telling me that three generations of her family have volunteered at the festival.

Some photos from The 2018 Rhythm & Roots Festival

​TUNE-IN TUES SEP 11th at 7pm on 990WBOB.com for Bartholomewtown Radio’s Rhode Island primary special.  

Follow @billbartholomew on Twitter for daily updates on all things Bartholomewtown.  ​

---

Read More 990WBOB

• Celebrating David Clyde
• We Lost the Ballgame
• Rhode Island's Five Best Burger Joints
• Bill Gilbert Aims to Become the First Governor from RI's Third Party
  

---