Projo Politics Blog

The turf wars are under way in a crowded District 9 state Senate race, where the powerful Senate Finance Committee Chairman Stephen Alves must survive a three-way Democratic primary and a contested general election to earn an eighth consecutive term in the General Assembly.

One of Alves' Democratic challengers, Paul Caianiello Jr., told Political Scene this week that Alves "has too much control in the town of West Warwick."

How so?

Caianiello said that he had trouble collecting signatures earlier in the month, as required of candidates seeking office, largely because people feared political retribution for backing one of Alves' opponents.

Constituents "said they were too tied, that they had too much going on with Steve Alves. They were afraid to have their name on my paperwork," Caianiello said, declining to be more specific.

Alves said he caught wind of Caianiello's troubles (although Caianiello ultimately collected enough signatures to appear on the ballot).

"He was walking around in my neighborhood," Alves said with a chuckle. "I know he went to my brother-in-law's. He said, 'Absolutely not.' He went to my niece's. She said, 'Absolutely not.' It's tough when you talk in a neighborhood where I've grown up. I was the paper boy there. I have a lot of family history there."

The District 9 Democratic primary will also feature Michael J. Pinga.

-- Steve Peoples of the Journal State House bureau

 Tags  District 9 state Senate race Michael J. Pinga Paul Caianiello Jr. Stephen Alves West Warwick

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