Mountain_Bill5743 t1_iuycvef wrote on November 3, 2022 at 10:45 PM

I'll take a shot. So Elorza has always kind of given the vibe that he has wanted to work his way up to higher office. It comes off that way and I think people sense it. If youre very new here, you may not realize that he was effectively campaigning for governor for the last 4 years. For what its worth, his story and background are very interesting and impressive in terms of what he accomplished.

In his tenure, it seemed like he was always trying to appease different voting blocks and, in the end like you saw, pissing off everyone who would see that he was trying to play all sides since he presumably didnt want to close doors with voters.

The firefighters and the teachers both had drawn out miserable contract negotiations, that I can recall. He also can let his emotions show which isn't really a great look for any major politician.

On the surface, I liked some of his ideas and plans, but when you see years of news footage or interact in person and some of this stuff just comes off as showboating for a larger media audience. I think it adds up for people into an overall more negative picture about his authenticity and by the time the primaries rolled around he saw it was best not to run.

I did like some of his ideas like the bike stuff. I also don't blame him for housing issues-- that's just a confluence of high prices in major cities and remote work.

Proof-Variation7005 t1_iuyem69 wrote on November 3, 2022 at 10:57 PM

> Elorza has always kind of given the vibe that he has wanted to work his way up to higher office.

I think everyone assumed that and it definitely came from somewhere, but it's worth noting we were all kinda wrong. If he really was that, there's no way he rules himself out a full year before the primary when it's not even clear who the nominees would be.

He took himself out of the money 2 months before Ashley Kalus had even closed on a home in the state and had plenty of time to change his mind when it became clear it'd be a crowded field and just how vulnerable McKee was.

I had the same perception as you, but I think we might've just been wrong. Or conflating Angel's one and done run with Elorza or something, idk.

Mountain_Bill5743 t1_iuz1l6n wrote on November 4, 2022 at 1:40 AM

While that is a possibility, he was considered an underdog to win when he dropped out. This public radio article covers it pretty well "A Providence mayor has not won election as governor since Dennis Roberts won four two-year terms in the 1950s. And the uncertain level of statewide support for Elorza, even with more than $1 million in his campaign account, led campaign observers to question his chances of victory." (source: https://thepublicsradio.org/article/elorza-will-not-run-for-ri-governor-in-2022 )

He also wouldn't rule out a future run for higher office. I think if Raimondo was a lame duck and he had better odds, we might have seen different choices here. Allan fung has run and lost repeatedly for office (and actually likely to win this time), but I don't think most candidates want to take the L like that if they can help it.

Proof-Variation7005 t1_iv2bhrl wrote on November 4, 2022 at 7:14 PM

Fair points. I just think that's truly driven to climb the ladder like that is probably capable of deluding themselves on the odds. Ego and ambition are powerful drugs

listen_youse t1_iv152ll wrote on November 4, 2022 at 2:38 PM

>showboating for a larger media audience.

Yes, I always felt he was intent on keeping up with the latest mayoral fashions (mostly a good thing) but whenever the initiatives bump up against entrenched powers, his will to fight is not there.