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Is Rhode Island’s "boring" election cycle finally heating up? Dan McGowan (The Boston Globe) joins Bill Bartholomew to break down a week of major shifts in the Ocean State. They discuss why the Providence mayoral race is seeing a policy divide unlike any in recent history, the "new kid on the block" energy of Ken Block’s independent run for Governor, and the political "horse-trading" surrounding a potential Supreme Court vacancy.

Key Discussion Points

• The Providence Mayoral Divide: Why the battle over rent stabilization between Mayor Brett Smiley and Rep. David Morales represents a rare, policy-driven shift in city politics that could define the next council.
• The "38 Studios on Steroids" Effect: Dan explains why the Washington Bridge crisis has surpassed previous state scandals in its "stickiness" with voters and how it provides a massive opening for "fixer" candidates.
• The 2026 Gubernatorial Chess Board: An analysis of Ken Block’s recent polling, his "new shiny" treatment in the media, and why Dan McKee and Helena Foulkes might be headed for an "opioids vs. competence" primary battle.
• Supreme Court Vacancy & Horse-Trading: A candid look at the possibility of Speaker Joe Shekarchi moving to the high court and the reality of how political judgeships are awarded in Rhode Island.
• AI and Data Centers: Bill reflects on a recent sold-out event in Newport, proving that "non-traditional" political issues are starting to break through with the average voter.

About Our Guest

Dan McGowan is the Rhode Island columnist for The Boston Globe and author of the Rhode Map newsletter. You can subscribe to his daily coverage by emailing [email protected].

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Rhode Island Politics Spotlight: Providence Mayoral Race & Governor's Race Analysis

In this episode, we explore the key developments shaping Rhode Island’s political landscape — from the contentious Providence mayoral race to the emerging significance of independent candidate Ken Block in the governor’s race. Understand how recent polling, election strategies, and voter sentiment are setting the stage for a transformative election cycle.

Key topics

• The recent veto of rent stabilization in Providence and its implications on the mayoral primary
• The political strategies and coalitions around housing policies in the Providence mayoral race
• Ken Block’s polling results and his potential impact on the Rhode Island gubernatorial race
• How outsider candidates are shifting voter focus and the broader appetite for change
• The importance of undecided voters and campaign adaptation in the coming months

Timestamps

• (0:01) Overview of Rhode Island’s major political races and their significance
• (0:25) Providence mayoral race: Mayor Smiley’s veto on rent stabilization and its political repercussions
• (1:02) The housing crisis in Providence and the supply-side economic approach
• (2:03) The political positioning of rent control proposals and city council dynamics
• (3:25) The upcoming Providence mayoral primary and its impact on the 2024 elections
• (4:23) The divide: short-term rent control versus long-term housing solutions
• (5:21) David Morales’ rally and the populist sentiment in Providence
• (6:35) Immediate housing needs versus long-term planning — balancing demand and supply
• (8:39) The Rhode Island governor’s race heats up with outsider Ken Block’s entry
• (9:17) Ken Block’s historical political background and recent polling data
• (11:09) Pollster insights: Ken Block’s "runway" to potential victory
• (12:29) The significance of Ken Block’s credibility and voter awareness
• (14:14) Broader appetite for political change across the country and in Rhode Island
• (16:11) The current landscape: the lack of leftist candidates and the rise of outsiders
• (17:54) How polling impacts campaign strategies and voter psychology
• (19:15) The influence of undecided voters and campaign ground game
• (20:42) The importance of shifting campaign focus from negativity to substantive issues
• (22:31) Summarizing the current state: Ken Block as a serious contender and the changing political tone
• (23:55) Closing thoughts on Rhode Island’s political season and upcoming electoral shifts

Resources & Links

• Brian Wynn - Pollster Insights
• Ken Block Campaign
• Providence Mayor’s Veto on Rent Stabilization (Channel 12)
• Dan McGowan - Boston Globe Columnist

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Bill Bartholomew welcomes independent Rhode Island gubernatorial candidate Ken Block.

Key topics:

• Ken Block's background in software engineering and political activism

• His previous efforts to create a centrist political party and advocacy for good government

• The surprising and personal journey leading to his gubernatorial run

• The disconnect and lack of traction among current candidates, and how he aims to stand out

• Critical issues facing Rhode Island such as infrastructure failures, fiscal management, and project mismanagement

• The importance of decisive leadership, especially regarding the Washington Bridge collapse

• Management failures in Rhode Island's government projects and how to address them

• The potential for AI and technological disruption impacting state policy

• Fiscal strategies, including potential reallocation of funds and critiques of tax policies

• The influence of party politics, coalition building, and the shift toward independent support

• His commitment to transparency, accountability, and pragmatic solutions for long-term stability

Timestamps: 00:00 - Introducing Ken Block and his diverse background 00:24 - Ken's career in software and political activism 00:50 - Past political efforts and advocacy for good governance 01:18 - Journey from opposition to running for governor 02:44 - How polling and fundraising influenced his decision 03:15 - The weak current political landscape and his outsider message 04:01 - The impact of his campaign on the Democrat primary 06:22 - Rhode Island's unique challenges and broader macroeconomic issues 07:35 - Why Ken Block believes he is qualified to lead through disruption 08:05 - Management failures in major Rhode Island projects 09:30 - Critical analysis of the Washington Bridge failure and accountability 10:56 - Building a political coalition in a polarized environment 11:36 - The importance of decisiveness and political courage 12:29 - Lessons from Bruce Sundlun's decision-making style 13:55 - The need for fact-based, quick decision-making in government 15:12 - Lack of political courage and transparency in government failures 16:08 - The recurring mistakes like the Washington Bridge and fiscal mismanagement 17:30 - Infrastructure neglect and dysfunction 18:28 - Budget management, reallocations, and fiscal responsibility 20:11 - Managing large projects and the importance of skilled oversight 21:35 - Addressing state spending inefficiencies 22:28 - The importance of smarter government spending 23:24 - Challenges of housing development and infrastructure costs 24:36 - The unrealistic scope of housing targets and pragmatic solutions 26:14 - The potential of private investments like the Superman Building 28:48 - Rhode Island's economic and demographic challenges compared to Boston 29:55 - The impact of tax policies and the flight of high earners 31:00 - Building a broad political coalition across party lines 33:24 - The disconnect between community needs and government response 35:56 - The failure to maintain infrastructure and deliver public services 38:34 - The political landscape, party fragmentation, and independent prospects 39:57 - Ken Block's commitment to fixing core government issues and future outlookResources & Links:

• Rhode Island Infrastructure Crisis

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Every gravestone is a sentence. Every cemetery is a story. And Rhode Island — one of the oldest corners of the country — has more of those stories per square mile than almost anywhere in America.

This week, preservationist Deb Suggs joins us to make the case that historic cemeteries aren't just resting places for the dead — they're primary sources, open to anyone willing to look. From colonial-era epitaphs to the graves of Revolutionary War soldiers, enslaved people, and forgotten civic leaders, Rhode Island's burial grounds hold a version of our history that no textbook does.

Deb shares what draws her to this work, what's at stake when these sites fall into disrepair, and the remarkable Rhode Islanders — some famous, most not — she's encountered while walking among the stones. It's a conversation about preservation, community, and why the past is never as buried as we think.

In this episode

Why historic cemeteries are some of the most reliable historical records we have • What gets lost when a burial ground is abandoned or destroyed • Stories of Rhode Islanders whose graves reveal lives history overlooked • How anyone can get involved in cemetery preservation • The surprising things gravestones can tell you — from demographics to disease to art history

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Half Street Group’s Mike Raia joins the show to break down how independent gubernatorial candidate Ken Block entering the race could disrupt the strategies of Governor Dan McKee and challenger Helena Foulkes.

We dig into whether Block plays the role of a “spoiler,” how similar candidates have performed historically in Rhode Island politics, and what this unique election cycle could signal about voter sentiment and fragmentation heading into November.

Then, a cultural pivot: a recent The New York Times Magazine piece explores whether meme culture has pushed us into a kind of “brain rot”—and how that might be shaping not just how we consume information, but how we interact with and even train AI systems.

Is the internet rewiring our attention spans—and could that feedback loop be influencing the future of intelligence itself?

Inside Communications is presented by Half Street Group

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Bill Bartholomew sits down with Christopher Gavin of the The Boston Globe to unpack the controversy surrounding a Ukrainian solidarity mural in Providence—and how a local story can quickly become part of a much larger national narrative.

What began as a piece of public art tied to global events soon sparked questions about public space, messaging, and civic process. But as the reaction grew, so did scrutiny over how and why the story spread—raising broader questions about amplification, influence, and the role of decentralized, well-funded networks in shaping modern culture war flashpoints.

In this conversation, Bartholomew and Gavin separate fact from reaction, examine how local issues get pulled into national discourse, and explore what the Providence mural moment reveals about media ecosystems, political narratives, and the forces that drive them.

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Following a newportFILM presented screening of The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist at The Jane Pickens Theater Bill Bartholomew moderates an expert panel on AI's growth and impact on Rhode Island.

David Altounian (Associate Professor, Business & Economics, Salve Regina University), 

Timothy H. Henry (Chair, Computer Science and Information Systems, Institute for Cybersecurity and Emerging Technologies, Rhode Island College), 

Michael Littman (Associate Provost for Artificial Intelligence, University Professor of Computer Science, Brown University) 

Briana Vecchione (Technical Researcher with the AI on the Ground team at Data & Society Research Institute) 

presented by newportFILM

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Dr. Amy Nunn — CEO of the Rhode Island Public Health Institute and Open Door Health — joins Bill Bartholomew for a wide-ranging conversation on the current state of public health in Rhode Island.

Dr. Nunn shares what she’s watching most closely in healthcare policy and politics across the state, including growing concerns about Rhode Island’s primary care shortage and what it means for access, equity, and long-term system stability. The discussion explores why Rhode Island has recently ranked as one of the worst states for physicians to practice, and what structural challenges are driving that reality.

Drawing on her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Nunn reflects on what she learned about operating as a nimble, community-focused practitioner in times of crisis — and how those lessons apply today. She also discusses navigating federal-level constraints on science and public health under the current political climate, and how local institutions can remain resilient and mission-driven.

A grounded, insightful look at where Rhode Island public health stands — and where it may be headed next.

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Nikolas Gvosdev, a national security fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and professor at the U.S. Naval War College, and speaking on his own behalf, joins Bill Bartholomew to examine how The Iran War could impact Rhode Island—both in the immediate term and over the long haul.

The conversation explores the economic ripple effects of global conflict, including energy prices, supply chain disruptions, and federal spending priorities that could directly influence local economies. Gvosdev highlights how national security decisions made in Washington can cascade down to states like Rhode Island, shaping everything from job markets to infrastructure investment.

A key focus is the potential downstream impact on major projects such as the Washington Bridge, where shifts in federal funding and attention could delay or reshape critical repairs and development.

The discussion also delves into the psychological dimension—how prolonged geopolitical instability can affect public sentiment, civic life, and the broader sense of security within local communities.

In this episode:

•  How global conflict with Iran could affect Rhode Island’s economy 
•  The connection between war, federal spending, and infrastructure projects 
•  Why local projects like the Washington Bridge could feel global pressure 
•  The psychological toll of geopolitical instability at the community level

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Preserving the Past: Culture, Power and the Stories That Shape a Nation

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, join JWU’s Cultural Life Series for a timely conversation on who preserves history — and why it matters. Drawing on Rhode Island’s revolutionary past and framed by the broader American experience, this discussion examines how culture, power and perspective shape the stories that endure.

About Bill Bartholomew and C. Morgan Grefe, Ph.D.

Bill Bartholomew

Bill Bartholomew is a Providence-based journalist, musician and producer, best known as the host of Bartholomewtown. A trusted local media voice, he covers topics ranging from politics and public policy to arts, culture and community life, with more than 900 episodes featuring conversations with local, state and federal leaders.

C. Morgan Grefe, Ph.D.

C. Morgan Grefe, Ph.D., is the executive director of the Rhode Island Historical Society and a historian specializing in U.S. social, cultural and public history. Her work focuses particularly on the carceral history of the United States, and she lectures widely on Rhode Island’s history while authoring and co-authoring numerous publications, including a forthcoming book on historic prison museums.

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