RAIMONDO OFFERS RHODE ISLANDERS A CLEAR CHOICE FOR CHANGE AND PROGRESS

Governor handedly wins final debate for election

Opponents Fung and Trillo offer no vision for state and squabble

PROVIDENCE, RI – Governor Gina Raimondo won tonight’s debate and made a clear closing argument that she is the only candidate capable of continuing the change and progress that Rhode Islanders need. Under her leadership, Rhode Island has added nearly 20,000 new jobs and the unemployment rate is below 4 percent for the first time since 1989.

In a second term, Raimondo will work to protect the economic development and job training investments that are helping Rhode Island compete with other states. Specifically, she’ll double the Real Jobs RI training program and expand the Rhode Island Promise scholarship at CCRI to adults and give recent high school graduates an opportunity to use the Rhode Island Promise scholarship at Rhode Island College or the University of Rhode Island. Allan Fung promises to end the Rhode Island Promise scholarship, pulling the rug out from under Rhode Island students.

Under her watch, Rhode Island opened the nation’s first offshore wind farm and she cleared the way for Deepwater Wind to begin work on a second wind farm that will generate enough electricity to power half the homes in Rhode Island. In a second term, she’s pledged to make Rhode Island the nation’s hub for offshore wind and position Rhode Island to be the first state in America to get 40 percent of its power from renewable and clean sources. Allan Fung opposed the Block Island Wind Farm and promised to pull the plug on the project in his first unsuccessful run for Governor.

Governor Raimondo has made record investments in PK-12 education and tripled the number of Pre-K classrooms. She brought all-day kindergarten to the state and made Rhode Island the first state to teach computer science in every school, starting in Kindergarten. In a second term, Raimondo will bring universal Pre-K to Rhode Island, a proposal Allan Fung opposes. Allan Fung also opposes the Governor’s Office of Innovation which leads the computer science initiative.

Raimondo reiterated her support for the Affordable Care Act and touted Rhode Island’s lowest-in-the-nation premiums. Four years ago, Allan Fung opposed the ACA and he’s been deafeningly silent when President Trump has sought to repeal the ACA, putting Rhode Islanders’ access to healthcare – and their lives – at risk.

Under Governor Raimondo’s leadership, Rhode Island is finally investing in road repairs. The RhodeWorks program is the state’s first comprehensive, long-term plan for bridge and highway repairs and maintenance. RhodeWorks has helped create thousands of good paying construction jobs. Allan Fung opposes RhodeWorks, a position that will make Rhode Island drivers and passengers less safe.

Rhode Islanders head to the polls on Tuesday, November 6. Governor Raimondo is endorsed by former President Barack Obama, former Vice President Joe Biden, The Providence Journal, The Boston Globe, the Rhode Island Chapter of the National Organization of Women, Planned Parenthood Votes, Everytown Moms Demand Action, the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence, the Rhode Island Manufacturers Association, dozens of labor organizations, including the AFL-CIO, among others.

Allan Fung was recently endorsed by the National Rifle Association, though his campaign has not publicized that endorsement.