Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 1992, 2010, bob walsh, Congress, Governor, Grassroots
Did you know that Bob Walsh ran a kick ass grassroots campaign for the 1st District Congressional seat in 1992? In fact, Walsh lost by only 2,414 votes in the Democratic Primary and the person who beat him got clobbered in the 1992 General Election.
from the Providence Journal, 9-1-92
Bob Walsh lives amidst the disorder of a College Hill apartment with an unframed Brown University poster on his living room wall, pizza delivery flyers on his fridge at right angles to his latest collection of Doonesbury cartoons, and records that range from Elton John to the Kingston Trio.
But on the campaign trail, in grey pin-striped suit, horn-rimmed glasses and the red-striped tie he bought for his dark horse race for Congress, Robert A. Walsh Jr., the 31-year-old financial consultant and former banker, is all business.
In water-contaminated Pawtucket, he handed out bottled water (“Four for a dollar at the IGA”) instead of the usual campaign detritus.
In Bristol, two aides were already standing by with trays of Dunkin’ Donuts and punch when Walsh arrived at the Benjamin Church Manor one recent morning to introduce himself as one of the three Democrats vying for Republican Rep. Ron Machtley’s 1st District seat. There, in rapid-fire tempo, he spelled out his views on health care, defense spending and congressional perks:
“Free parking, reduced price lunches, barber shops just for them. . . . I’m going to lead by example, show there is no more royalty in America.” He promised he would, if elected to Congress, “come to Rhode Island for my haircuts.”
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 2010, bob walsh, Facebook, Governor, Rhode Island
The “Draft Bob Walsh for Rhode Island” movement has ventured into the social networking world and now has a FACEBOOK group.
Are you tired of Republican Governors and Democratic General Assemblys who offer the same old stale ideas year after year: more tax breaks for the rich and more scapegoating of unions, immigrants and the middle class?
There is an answer!
This is a grassroots movement to draft Bob Walsh to run for Governor of Rhode Island in 2010.
We have 59 members and we have only just begun!!
Please ask all of your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers to sign-up!
You can also visit Bob Walsh’s personal Facebook page and “friend” him!
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 1992, 2010, bob walsh, Governor, Providence Journal, Rhode Island
It is great to see that the state’s largest newspaper – the Providence Journal – is reporting on their political blog that Walsh is thinking about running for Governor.
Every week it seems another Democrat signals interest in the 2010 governor’s race.
This week we can add Bob Walsh to the list. Walsh, the well-known executive director of the National Education Association Rhode Island and a State House regular, put his own name into consideration today in a posting on the left-leaning political blog Rhode Island’s Future, which is run by his colleague, deputy NEA director Patrick Crowley.
But in a subsequent e-mail to The Journal this afternoon, Walsh said it doesn’t necessarily mean he is staging a run to replace outgoing Republican Governor Carcieri.
In early January, Walsh suffered a stroke during surgery and is still recovering, he reports.
“As I noted in the blog entry, the main purpose was to start the dialogue to put together the type of platform on which I would like a progressive candidate to run for governor,” Walsh tells us. “As for me being that candidate, right now I have to focus on fully recovering from my health issues, although I have been overwhelmed with the positive response I have received in the short time the entry has been posted on RI Future, and therefore have a lot of thinking to do.”
In the original posting, he outlines his position in a succinct sentence: “progressive, pro-public education, pro-labor, pro-job creation and economic development, pro-choice, pro-environment, pro-marriage equality, and supportive of a fair tax policy for our state.”
Walsh is no stranger to political races. In 1992, the then 31-year-old financial consultant ran unsuccessfully for Congress.
In case you are interested, click here to see the 1992 Congressional results. Walsh lost by only 2,414 votes in the Primary and the person who beat him got clobbered in the 1992 General Election.
