Corrente shrugs off Progressive Democratic endorsement of Avedisian

Applying the logic that Democratic candidate for mayor Richard Corrente is really a member of the Tea Party attempting to unseat incumbent Republican Scott Avedisian, the Rhode Island Progressive Democrats announced their support of Avedisian last Thursday.

Corrente shrugged off the accusation, denying he is a member of the Tea Party and saying he and Warwick residents have been T-BARed – taxed beyond all reason.

In a release, the Progressive Democrats say Corrente was a registered Republican and publicly aligned himself with the extreme fringe of the Tea Party movement. It goes on to say that Corrente used the slogan “TEA” (“Taxed Enough Already”) in a campaign booklet and praised Donald Trump.

“The Corrente campaign is an audacious and deeply cynical ploy by the extreme right. They are attempting to unseat Avedisian from the right by running a Tea Partier as a Democrat, tricking Democratic voters into supporting someone with nutty values abhorrent to liberals, moderates and vaguely sane conservatives. We must take a stand against this deplorable tactic,” the release reads.

Corrente said he was asked who he would vote for when interviewed by the Warwick Democratic City Committee. At the time, neither Trump nor Hillary Clinton had selected a running mate, and he answered Trump. He explained he registered as a Republican so that he could vote in the 2014 Republican primary for Stacia Petri (now Huyler) because “someone has to beat this guy [Avedisian].”

Corrente affiliated as a Democrat after the primary. He said he has been running for mayor as a Democrat ever since December 2014.

The Progressive Democrats also took Warwick Democratic City Committee Chairman Robert Farrell to task.

“We believe it is time to question the leadership of Warwick Democratic City Committee Chairman Rob Farrell. We find Farrell’s failure to recruit an acceptable candidate for mayor deeply embarrassing for our party, and we have grave concerns with his decision to allow an endorsement of Corrente, even though Corrente told the City Committee that he is voting for Donald Trump,” reads the statement.

Reached Friday, Farrell defended Corrente, saying, “If you were in the room and talked to Rich, you would understand his views.”

“We feel we have a good candidate,” Farrell added. “Let the voters decide Tuesday.”

Asked about those comments directed at him, Farrell said, “I feel the Progressive Democrats should take a look at themselves before talking about real Democrats.”

As for Avedisian, the statement reads the mayor has “avoided doing major damage to the city” and scandals that have plagued neighboring Cranston.

“Avedisian is far from a perfect candidate, but our concerns with so-called ‘Democrat’ Richard Corrente are far more severe. If we wish to remain true to our principles, when our party nominates a wholly unacceptable candidate, a candidate who is actually worse than the Republican, we cannot remain silent. We must speak out, however painful it may be. That is why we are calling on Warwick Democrats to cross party lines and vote for Scott Avedisian. We do not issue this statement lightly, and we are greatly saddened that it has become necessary.”

In response to the endorsement, Avedisian said, “I am happy to receive support from all interested parties.”