Republican gubernatorial candidate Ashley Kalus has canceled her appearance today on a WhatsUpNewp videocast, which was scheduled for 3 p.m. According to campaign staffer Matt Hanrahan, there was a “change to Ashley’s schedule” that necessitate canceling the interview.
We are hopeful of rescheduling but will submit some questions to her that we had planned to ask and that some of you had submitted.
Our hope was to explore some of the critical issues facing Rhode Island, including:
- Her plans for improving educational outcomes in Rhode Island and teacher retention.
- Her plans to expand affordable housing in Rhode Island.
- Her position on gun control, and any reforms she might offer.
- Her position on women’s reproductive rights. She has said she’s pro-life and that since the legislature has already codified Roe v. Wade that should not be an issue. However, left unsettled is the use of Medicaid funds for abortion, addressing some of our lower-income residents.
- How she plans to address issues related to climate change and energy sources?
- Her position on immigration and how she would handle a situation if a southern governor dropped undocumented immigrants on Rhode Island’s doorstep.
- Her view on the Jan. 6 insurrection in Washington and the work of the Jan. 6 Congressional Committee.
- Whether she supports former President Donald Trump, and how she views the Justice Department’s pursuit of government records that were in possession of the former president.
- Clarification of her Rhode Island connections, and business dealing with the state. She moved to Newport last year and registered to vote in January.
- Whether she plans to make women’s issues a key part of her campaign. On Twitter, both Kalus and the GOP chairperson accused Gov. Dan McKee of disrespecting women.
- And, we’d like to know her view on whether campaign finance reform is necessary. She’s loaned her campaign $2.7 million and on her web page has said “money is the mother’s milk,” touting how she has considerably more cash on hand than McKee.
We also planned on asking your questions:
- “How long have you lived in Rhode Island?”
- “Please state clearly your abortion stance.” And related to that: “Please clarify what steps you intend to take as Governor to change Rhode Island’s permissive laws on abortions.”
- “Please state your view of Jan. 6 and the current immigration abuses by other governors. What will you do within the Republican party to address the Trump cult issue?
- “As the OCEAN state, would you encourage tapping into tidal power & wave energy” Doesn’t it make more sense.”
Original Story – Sept. 19 at 4:48 pm
Republican gubernatorial candidate Ashley Kalus joins WhatsUpNewp for a videocast tomorrow (Tuesday) at 3 p.m., where we will ask her how she expects to address critical issues facing Rhode Island.
We’ll want to learn about her plans for improving educational outcomes in Rhode Island and teacher retention, affordable housing, gun control, women’s reproductive rights, climate change, energy sources, and immigration.
We’ll also ask about her view of what happened on Jan. 6 and the Jan. 6 congressional committee, the Justice Department’s pursuit of government records from former President Trump, campaign finances, and whether she supports the governors of Florida and Texas as they relocate undocumented immigrants to what are considered blue states.
Kalus is up against incumbent Gov. Dan McKee, a Democrat; Elijah J. Gizzarelli, an independent/Libertarian; and Zachary Baker Hurwitz, an independent.
She has taken to characterizing McKee as a misogynist and has been critical of McKee’s award of a contract during the pandemic to a campaign donor.
She moved to Rhode Island (Newport) last year and registered to vote in January. Kalus has also loaned her campaign $2.7 million and declined to take any state election matching funds.
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