CLAY PELL WILL ANNOUNCE HE WILL RUN FOR GOVERNOR

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Rhode Island’s already contentious race for governor is about to get a lot more complicated with the entry of Clay Pell, the grandson of the late U.S. Sen. Claiborne Pell and the husband of Olympic figure skater Michelle Kwan.

Pell, a Democrat, may be a political newcomer at age 32, but he can count on his family’s legacy, his wife’s star wattage and what appears to growing support from some party insiders. Pell served in the U.S. Coast Guard and worked on both the White House national security staff and at the U.S. Education Department.

«The problems we face are urgent and they need urgent action,» Pell told The Associated Press during a recent interview at his home on Providence’s East Side. «They need a fresh approach, and I believe I bring a distinct set of experience, values and skills to move this state forward.»