1st District survey testing Raimondo, Roberts against Doherty
June 26th, 2012 at 9:57 am by Ted Nesi under Nesi's Notes, On the Main Site
A curious poll is being done in Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District.
A reader who lives in Providence got called on Sunday for a telephone survey that asked about the three candidates running in the 1st District – Democrats David Cicilline and Anthony Gemma, and Republican Brendan Doherty – plus two other Democrats: Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts and Treasurer Gina Raimondo.
Roberts and Raimondo? For Congress?
The poll tested their favorability ratings, Raimondo’s job approval rating and how they’d fare against Brendan Doherty in the November election. It’s unlikely either woman is planning to jump into the race, though – they’d need to declare their candidacies by Wednesday to get on the ballot.
Much of the poll focused on Cicilline and Doherty, checking how voters react to various potentially divisive facts about the Democrat (tax issues, support for Nancy Pelosi, Providence’s solvency, mob connections) and the Republican (Bush tax cuts, abortion, Medicare cuts).
The tipster wasn’t familiar with the name of the polling firm, but said it sounded like “Kalamata.”
• Related: New WPRI 12 Poll: Cicilline 40%, Gemma 36%, undecided 20% (May 16)
Tags: 1st Congressional District, anthony gemma, brendan doherty, campaign 2012, david cicilline, elizabeth roberts, gina raimondo
Nesi's Notes covers politics and the economy in and around Rhode Island for WPRI.com. (Twitter: 
A person at a Democratic town committee meeting a couple of weeks ago said the treasurer was there telling them she is running for Governor but not “this year.”
Straight from the horses mouth…………….
Raimondo will either be Governor or Goat, depends on the courts.
abolish congress and put the power with the people where it belongs.
–would like to see Gina run for Senator, preferably in Massschusetts where her venture capital company is located.
Roberts? Desperate times, call for desperate polling.
Put Raimondo,, Almonte, Neronha in a democratic primary it would come down to who the unions endorse. I think Gina would be in a whole lot of trouble.
Could Kalamata be “Carolina”? There is a polling firm called Carolina Strategy Group. Perhaps the poll was paid for by a third party and the Doherty v. Roberts and Doherty v. Raimondo questions are simply testing his strength against established, well-liked Democrats. An odd strategy, but it shows what his baseline is and indicates whether he is a strong candidate or if his good numbers against Cicilline just mean that Cicilline is weak.