If you're a Rhode Island Republican, you should be worried about the 2010 election.  It appeared that Steve Laffey was considering a run for governor, but he put those rumors to rest yesterday.  Basically, he feels that the typical Rhode Islander isn't ready for the tough decisions that would be necessary to turn the state around. 

     Laffey's decision leaves the GOP with John Robitaille as the only announced Republican candidate.  Robitaille, who announced yesterday, is the governor's director of communications.  I know very little about John Robitaille, so I'm going to reserve judgment until he starts to discuss his vision for the state.  With that said, I'm about as excited about his candidacy as I was about Rory Smith's.

     The big problem is that Robitaille lacks name recognition and money.  Maybe he can over come these deficits, at least initially, by having an exciting plan, and an excellent handle on the issues.  Of course, this will only get his foot in the door.  The true test will be whether he can energize the party and independent voters in the months leading up to the election.  If he can't, and if no one else decides to run, the party will be in trouble.