Barry Hinckley on his ‘part-Democrat, part-Republican’ platform
August 6th, 2012 at 1:48 pm by Ted Nesi under Nesi's Notes, On the Main Site
Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Barry Hinckley and his aides are adamant that Sheldon Whitehouse’s February poll lead is built on sand, making the first-term Democrat more vulnerable to defeat than he looks. They also downplay the incumbent’s huge financial advantage: as of June 30, Whitehouse had $3.5 million and Hinckley had about $500,000.
“I have to work a little harder – we have to work a little harder,” Hinckley told WPRI.com in a recent interview. “I believe in myself, I believe in my team, and I believe in my ability and my team’s ability to deliver the hard work between now and November 6th to get our message in front of as many as people necessary.”
Hinckley also offered candid comments about the challenges he faces as a Republican in Rhode Island. Here’s how he analyzed the local fundraising landscape:
I’ve got Romney and Scott Brown sucking up a lot of conservative dollars in the region – they really are. I mean, Romney’s based here, Scott Brown’s based here – the rest of us, the congressional and other Senate candidates, are a deep third to those two, and they do affect our ability to raise money because so many people have already written checks to those campaigns.
But what I’ve noticed is, if you work really hard in Rhode Island you can raise about $150,000 a quarter as the challenger. I was able to raise a little more money in February because of the successful video with my son that went viral, and because we actually were able to find pockets of Rhode Island snowbirds down in Florida this winter that had discretionary income that were willing to invest in their own former home state. Of course, that was a winter phenomenon. Brendan Doherty does the same thing. The money he makes over $150,000 is Washington support he’s getting.
And here’s Hinckley describing what makes him different:
Let’s face it: my message is part-Democrat and part-Republican. I’m socially, essentially, a Democrat – I’m pro-choice and pro-gay-rights. But fiscally, I believe that we live in a world where you have to balance the books and you’ve got to live within your means. [My children] didn’t spend the money – why should they have to pay it back? And I don’t see the Democrats with that message today. Their message is spend spend spend spend spend, and $1.6 trillion of extra spending a year has to be paid back. And as a father, I can’t stand for it anymore.
Hinckley sounds like a Dawson Hodgson Republican. Considering the elasticity of Rhode Island’s electorate, the two young political newcomers may be signaling what the future holds for the state’s eternally outnumbered opposition party.
Tags: barry hinckley, campaign 2012, dawson hodgson, politics, republicans, sheldon whitehouse, u.s. senate
Nesi's Notes covers politics and the economy in and around Rhode Island for WPRI.com. (Twitter: 
Wait! Rhode Island Democrats are pro-choice and pro-gay rights!? Someone should tell Rhode Island Democrats that!
The only this guy has going for him is he is an honest RINO. I will see who else is running or I may do a write-in. The two major canidadates running for congress in the second district are both enablers for people who collect entitlements. These are the people who have to be cut off at the knees. They don’t matter.
Why is he a RINO? Do you have to be pro-life or anti-gay marriage to call yourself a Republican? Do you have to be close minded and out of touch? Is he a conservative in name only too? Because thats what I look for in a candidate running against Sheldon Whitehouse. Someone who isnt going to be another vote for increased spending, debt, special interests, and foreign aid to countries who hate us. You either believe in equal rights or you don’t but it has nothing to do with jobs and the economy – I applaud Barry Hinckley for having the guts to run as a Republican in Rhode Island because no matter what he gets hit from the extreme asshats on both sides. Hes a guy who cares about liberty and the debt that is being handed down to our children.. he wants term limits and wants to get rid of the special benefits that our congressional delegation receives… and he’s worked his whole life in the private sector as opposed to our crony, political insider of a Senator, Shitehouse. He might not be the best candidate so far when it comes to being slick and perfectly well spoken, but we’ve elected plenty of those types and it’s all been for nothing.
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Great, another Rhode Island RINO, the more things change the more they stay the same.
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This guys is great. Nothing close to being a rino. He sounds like a small govt. pro business candidate. That is the best side of an R. He can help clean up the R’s and D’s mess. Go Hinckley for RI!
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