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June 7, 2006

Carcieri kicks off campaign for re-election / Photo

Governor Carcieri sings "God Bless America" with his grandchildren at the end of the announcement today, held at the Varnum Memorial Armory in East Greenwich, the town where Carcieri lives.

EAST GREENWICH -- Governor Carcieri officially announced his re-election bid for governor today, saying he wants to continue to cut government spending, lower taxes and make health care and energy more affordable for Rhode Islanders.

"I told you that we were going to challenge the system, and challenge it we have," Carcieri said at a news conference to kick off his campaign. "I said we were going to reclaim Rhode Island from the special interests that were strangling our future, and ladies and gentlemen, the reclaiming has begun."

Carcieri faces Dennis Michaud, a part-time Brown University professor, in the Republican primary. Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty is running as a Democrat.

Carcieri, who is finishing his first term, entered politics after retiring as a banking executive. Carcieri said his first term saw reforms to root out special interest dealings and political corruption.

He has made economic growth the primary focus of his administration, and said he has created 15,000 new jobs during his first term, just 5,000 short of what he has promised. The governor's spokesman later noted that Carcieri has nearly six months left in his first term and plans to make good on the promise.

Fogarty has blamed Carcieri for a projected deficit in the state budget, saying Rhode Island is one of the only states in the nation to have a deficit. He also has criticized Carcieri's proposals to balance the budget by cutting some social programs, saying they do not take into account the needs of all Rhode Islanders.

-- Staff and wire reports

Posted by Steve Peoples  at 3:55 PM | Permalink

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