Carson Announces House District 75 Reelection Bid

NEWPORT, RI—Rep. Lauren Carson has announced she'll seek another term representing District 75 in the Rhode Island House of Representatives.

Carson, a Democrat, toppled longtime Rep. Peter Martin in a primary that just shy of 1,600 voters while riding a wave of anti-casino sentiment to claim the seat in 2014.

A resident of Newport for more than two decades, Carson said she wants to work on behalf of Newporters who want "a state representative that puts Newport first."

"Newport wants a responsive and accessible state government and I will continue to champion sensible policies to make sure that our voices are heard in state government and that there is fairness and transparency in Rhode Island," she said in her campaign announcement.

Carson said she has held 10 constituent meetings to engage with voters to "keep my ear to the ground on the issues that Newport cares about most."

Those issues included her support of lobby, campaign finance and ethics reform bills that passed in the General Assembly's most-recent legislative session. She also supported the mandatory 20-minute recess bill for children up to grade 6 and tax exemptions for veterans, military and private pensions.

Carson also said she wants to continue her work on behalf of the state's tourism industry, of which Newport is a major support column, if not a keystone, for the Ocean State. She chaired a special House Study Commission on Tourism that has been keeping the botched rollout of the "Cooler and Warmer" tourism campaign under scrutiny.

“Building and investing in a smart and sustainable Rhode Island tourism campaign is good for Newport. Following the failed “Cooler and Warmer’ campaign, my special Commission redirected our efforts to understand how other states manage their marketing programs and how Rhode Island can make sound marketing investments in the future,” Carson said. “We have successfully redirected tourism and hotel tax dollars back to the local regions in the 2017 budget and will continue to examine and propose strategies on how our state tourism dollars are best spent in the future.”

Another key issue affecting Newport is sea level rise and the impact of climate change. With so much historic and valuable real estate at risk, Carson said her work chairing another commission, a Special House Study on the Economic Impact of Flooding and Sea Rise, will continue if reelected.

“Newport is at ground zero for flooding and sea rise. Both the Point and Fifth ward neighborhoods must be preparing now for the economic impact that will accompany flooding. Businesses along the waterfront are at great risk and I have committed my first term to getting a better understanding of the scope of this risk," she said, noting that she secured $100,000 in the state budget for the University of Rhode Island to develop a mandatory training program for municipal planning and zoning board members.

Carson, the former owner of the Mount Vernon Inn, is also the founder of CompuClaim, a data management company she sold in 2010. She previously served as President of the Board at the Norman Bird Sanctuary in Middletown.

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