Block Announces 2nd Run for Governor

Rhode Island Moderate Party founder and chairman Ken Block of Barrington is making another run for governor. 

Block, 47, announced his candidacy on Tuesday, May 21, and said he is forming a finance committee. He is the president of Simpatico Software Systems Inc. and Cross Alert Systems, a traffic signal manufacturer.

Block ran for governor in 2010 and finished fourth in the balloting with approximately 6.5 percent of the vote. He trailed Independent Gov. Lincoln Chafee, Republican John Robitaille, and Democrat Frank Caprio.

Block has been traveling around the state to eliminate straight-party voting on the ballot. He asked the East Providence City Council on Tuesday to support legislation that would ban the so-called “master lever.” He spoke to the Barrington Town Council at its April meeting on the same issue. 

Block also believes RI is not doing enough to eliminate food stamp and Medicaid fraud. He said that the state is “starved for leadership” and needs a governor with "better ideas for fixing the economy." 

Block was previously the president of the bi-partisan citizens group "RI Tax Payers" -- formerly known as the "Rhode Island Statewide Coalition." He resigned from that group before announcing his candidacy. 

Gov. Chafee is expected to seek re-election. General Treasurer Gina Raimondo, a Democrat, and Providence Mayor Angel Taveras, also a Democrat, are seen as likely candidates. Allan Fung, Cranston’s Republican mayor, also is seen as possibly throwing his hat in the ring.