PROVIDENCE — Who should Rhode Island’s Governor-in-waiting Dan McKee choose to replace him as lieutenant governor when Gina Raimondo splits for Washington?
The former mayor of Rhode Island’s “comeback city”? The woman who heads the Rhode Island Black Business Association (RIBBA)? The vice chair of the state Democratic Party? A state senator who speaks budget fluently? The former senator who championed same-sex marriage and extended legal rights for victims of childhood sex abuse?
The list goes on with women’s advocates pushing for the appointment of a woman; Black-rights advocates for the appointment of a Black person; Latinos for the appointment of a Latino person.
The Rhode Island Democratic Women’s Caucus made this case: “In Rhode Island, women make up over 51% of the population, yet upon Governor Raimondo’s departure, only 1 in 9 — a mere 11% — of top federal and state elected officials will be women.”
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The Black Business Association’s Lisa Ranglin trumpeted her own credentials, then made this unusual pitch on Facebook:
“In my humble opinion, myself, or Melissa Husband, or Jim Vincent should be the next LG of Rhode Island.” Husband, who is also a Black woman, is deputy secretary of state; Vincent is head of the NAACP Providence.
McKee has been contacted by at least 10 people seeking appointment to the $122,740-a-year job that comes with very few statutory responsibilities, but a State House office, a $1,145,231 budget and seven staffers.
His plan: to appoint a screening committee that includes Johnston Mayor Joseph Polisena to wade through the resumés, do interviews and make recommendations.
Political Scene asked several former lieutenant governors how McKee, who had no working relationship at all with fellow Democrat Raimondo, should choose his own replacement.
Now a Superior Court judge, former Lt. Gov. Richard Licht said he has been advised he should not be answering questions of this sort. Former Lt. Gov. Roger Begin did not respond.
But those who did respond had advice for McKee, born of their own experiences. And before we get to them: some thoughts from the sidelines.
“Who the governor decides to select can tell you a lot about the governor’s values,” said Gary Sasse, a Carcieri-era director of administration and founder of the Hassenfeld Institute for Public Leadership at Bryant University.
For example, he said, McKee will need to decide: “What role should diversity play?”
And beyond that: “Is the person well-qualified to assume the role of governor if it becomes necessary?”
But even more basically, he said: “the qualities to be considered are character, ethical compass, ability to be a uniter and communicator, and accomplishments in the [person’s] chosen field.”
Former Lt. Governor Charles Fogarty:
“Definitely interesting times … bordering on the surreal!
“Dan'[s] got a good head on his shoulders and his small business and government experience — both local and state — make him well prepared to lead our state.
“I would recommend he look for an LG with government experience. Given the uncertainties of the times I don’t think it would be wise to put in someone with little or no knowledge of government operations.
“He needs a partner who will be ready to go to work from day 1.
“He should choose someone who will be a working partner with him and that he can give substantive responsibilities. A person whose judgement he can trust and who will be willing to tell him things others are afraid to; someone who will push back in private discussions when the needs call for it.
“Every political official needs someone like that!
“Ultimately, the person he chooses should be someone that he is completely confident could step in and become Governor should the need arise. This will be his 1st and perhaps most important decision as Governor. And it will help shape the public’s perception of him and his new administration.
“My only other suggestion is to surround himself with top notch people and remember to delegate. RI government is a multi-billion dollar operation with 13,000-plus employees and no one person can do it all without the help of a great team that is empowered to take action.
“So, for what it’s worth, that is my advice here from the State Home for Retired Politicians in Glocester.”
Former Lt. Governor Elizabeth Roberts, now the director of the Academic Health Collaborative at the University of Rhode Island:
“As a former Lt. Governor, it is exciting to see Dan McKee preparing for this transition to the role of governor. It is a very significant change and he is taking the transition planning seriously.
“I have every expectation that he will select an LG to serve with him who shares his vision and goals. A strong partnership is good for the operations of government and good for the state as a whole.
“I wish Dan well as he takes on the challenging role of governor at an especially challenging time for our state.”
Former Lt. Governor Robert Weygand, whose mid-term election to a seat in Congress led to the last appointment of a lieutenant governor in 1997:
“The first thing I would want to know: Would this person be a good team member for me? Would that person work with me … in a good positive way that would help move forward the agenda for Dan and for the state?
“Teamwork is really the key, and it is not inherent in the current way we set up our lieutenant governor in Rhode Island. As you know they are elected separately,” said Weygand, whose two terms as the LG straddled Democrat Bruce Sundlun and Republican Lincoln Almond’s gubernatorial eras.
Of Raimondo’s unwillingness to assign McKee a role — or even talk to him for more than a year — Weygand said: “That seemed very odd to me that it would go that long.”
“It is not uncommon that a lieutenant governor that is not elected as part of a team with the governor has an adversarial relationship,” especially if they are from different parties.
“But I had probably a better relationship with Lincoln Almond than I did with Bruce Sundlun. It really depends on the individual.
“The problem we have in Rhode Island is that we do not have the governor and lieutenant governor run as a team, and they really should. They should be paired together, just like the president and vice president.”
“I am guessing you are looking for someone with some political history … but it could be somebody who is well versed in health care issues that would help with [the pandemic] or small business or education.”
“Whoever it is, you don’t want someone [who will be] running against you — Dan — in two years.”
Bernard Jackvony, the GOP stalwart appointed by Republican Almond to take Democrat Weygand’s place as lieutenant governor:
“Is it a good thing to be from the same party? I had a very good relationship with Governor Almond and I think there is some importance in having the governor and lieutenant governor on the same ticket, so to speak, and being of the same party because I think it would provide a better vehicle for … working together.
“Because there are limited Constitutional and statutory duties of the lieutenant governor — even though at the time I was the presiding officer of the Senate — we shared common interests in things that we wanted to do to benefit the state and he was good enough to give me responsibility on a number of different things.
“I am not going to second-guess anybody who is in somewhat of an unusual position like that and although I was on the other side … I have confidence McKee will do what he thinks is best for the state.and his administration.”
“Let me know if I can help you in any way,” Jackvony emailed McKee.
For the record: Senate Majority Leader Michael J. McCaffrey no longer believes state lawmakers have leeway to change how McKee’s replacement is selected.
Based on his research, the R.I. Constitution requires a mid-term vacancy in the lieutenant governor’s office be filled by the governor, subject to advice and consent of the Senate.
From the sidelines last week, R.I.’s Republican National Committeeman Steven Frias suggested an alternative: leave it empty.
Channeling the late Cool Moose candidate for lieutenant governor, Bob Healey, who ran for the office on a promise to abolish it, Frias Tweeted:
“RI pols love patronage … [But] how about not filling it? Save taxpayers a million dollars during this crisis. RI did not fill the LG vacancy in 1928 or in 1945-1946. A LG vacancy did not hurt RI then and it won’t now.”
