Race of the Day: Brendan Doherty #RI01

Running in Rhode Island’s First Congressional District against incumbent Democrat Rep. David Cicilline, Brendan Doherty is a Young Gun candidate and former superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police.  

Doherty is committed to cleaning up the mess in Democratic-run Washington and addressing our looming debt crisis.  

Political handicapper Stu Rothenberg calls the race “a huge Democratic headache” and the Cook Report says the race remains competitive:  

“A district 15 points more Democratic than the national average doesn't usually wind up on Republican target lists. But then again, there may not be any Democratic incumbents with spookier polling numbers than Cicilline, who served as mayor of Providence between 2003 and 2010. In 2010, Cicilline seriously underperformed against GOP state Rep. John Loughlin, winning 51 percent to 44 percent. But after a terrible spate of 2011 press concerning his stewardship of city finances, Cicilline hasn't recovered and actually appears more vulnerable than ever to GOP former State Police Superintendent Brendan Doherty….

“Doherty's profile is an ideal contrast to Cicilline's for Republicans. After a three-decade career in various law enforcement capacities, Doherty served a four-year stint as colonel and superintendent of the state police and department of public safety between 2007 and 2011.”