Paul Roselli, Democratic candidate for Governor of Rhode Island, issued the following statement in the wake of last week’s report from the third meeting of the Rhode Island Democratic Party (RIDP) Platform Committee that highlighted the divisions between conservative and progressive Democrats that exist beneath the RIDP’s “big tent.”

Roselli is calling for an uprising, in what is most likely a reference to the title of this news blog, writing, “…it is time to consider whether [Democrats “in name only”] need to be challenged in the primaries and be removed from office. It is time to gather your friends and neighbors, support the challengers that have already come forward and where there is currently not a contest, consider running yourself or encourage others to run for office.”

You can read Roselli’s full statement here:

“For years establishment Democrats in Rhode Island have defended positions that are not recognized as mainstream Democrat positions by voters here in Rhode Island or elsewhere. Last week’s report of right-wing statements made by so-called Democrats at a meeting in Johnston laid bare the truth about politics here: they are hopelessly clinging to a tired business as usual model.

“If your Democratic representative is holding back on gun control reform, doing nothing to defend Roe v Wade, refusing to act on decriminalizing marijuana, failing to move on single-payer health care or even supporting pro-gun or anti-women’s rights legislation, then it is time to consider whether they need to be challenged in the primaries and be removed from office. It is time to gather your friends and neighbors, support the challengers that have already come forward and where there is currently not a contest, consider running yourself or encourage others to run for office. I have only praise for those that have already come forward to ensure that representatives who are Democrat in name only become a thing of the past. It is time for a revolution in democratic politics in Rhode Island and it is time to put an end to the same old excuses. Corporate welfare and lack of oversight must end. Jobs for the ‘good ole’ boys’ and doing favors for the insiders must be consigned to history. This primary and this election must be different.

“Let’s look at the facts of elections we have held in the state over the last two years. Progressive candidates have won every special election in the last 12 months – winning the primary and going on to win general election and improving the Democratic share of the vote compared to the last time those seats were contested against Republicans. Let’s not forget what happened in the presidential primary in Rhode Island in 2016, when Bernie Sanders won the contest easily and in the process carried Johnston, Cranston, Scituate, Smithfield and more. These primaries have shown that Democratic voters want real democratic policies and real democratic candidates.

“My campaign and my team will work with candidates down-ballot in general assembly and municipal races to ensure that those running as real democrats are successful in the September primaries and go on to win in November.”

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