Elaine Pelino, a former NFL cheerleader and publisher pitching herself as the party-line choice, and Aaron Guckian, a former aide to former Gov.Donald Carcieri and a more centrist candidate are locked in a GOP primary that remained too close to call by early Thursday morning.The race centered on experience and qualifications as Republicans hope they have found a candidate to win over a historically Democratic-leaning state.SENATE REPUBLICAN PUSHES OVERHAUL TO CUT RED TAPE AND SPEED UP AMERICAN ENERGY PROJECTSAaron Guckian, left, pictured alongside Elaine Pelino, right.
(Guckian for Governor; Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)In the last election, Daniel McKee, the then-Democratic candidate and current governor of Rhode Island, beat out Republican challenger Ashley Kalus in a 57.9% to 38.9% victory.Among other priorities in her campaign, Pelino promised to champion merit-based hiring, support law enforcement, immigration law and school choice."This is what I’m going to do.I’m learning.
Everything is a learning [curve] because I’m not a lifetime politician.I’m here because I love Rhode Island.
And I want them to have a great life.I want them to live in a prosperous and safe place.
We should get all the illegals out of here," Pelino said at a candidate forum.DEM INCUMBENT BECOMES FIRST SITTING GOVERNOR TO LOSE PRIMARY SINCE 2018Rhode Island Governor, Donald Carcieri, speaks to the media February 22, 2003 in West Warwick, Rhode Island.(Douglas McFadd/Getty Images)Before her time in politics, Pelino had a wide range of experience, working as a model, in media and even as a cheerleader for the Houston Oilers, the football team that would eventually become the NFL’s Tennessee Titans.
Later, in 2011, she founded Tigress magazine, which published 12 issues.For his part, Guckian took a far more policy-centric approach, committing to overhaul Rhode Island’s permitting, improve service delivery and tighten use of the state’s revenue.He argued th...