Independent Ken Block looks to clean up Rhode Island’s operations in third bid for governor
Tim Yean
Managing Editor
(PROVIDENCE, R.I.) – Is the third time the charm for Ken Block?
The businessman, software engineer and data analyst says that despite the seemingly unbreakable two-party system, there is room in Rhode Island politics to look beyond the two parties and elect an independent to the governor’s office.
“Nationally, Democrats and Republicans have not covered themselves in glory in the last couple of years,” Block told Anchor TV Interviews. “Voters are fed up with it.”
The now three-time candidate, second time as a third-party candidate, joined Anchor TV Interviews to discuss his plans to overhaul the state’s financial situation, give his plans regarding various college-focused issues and convince voters that there are options other than Democrat and Republican.
“I have always disliked [the two-party system] and I don’t think it’s effective,” Block said. “George Washington warned us about the two-party political system.”
Block, the founder of Simpatico Software Systems, a company that specializes in detecting government fraud and waste, says his small business background helps him to be detail-oriented, a skill that the state’s top office needs in order to be successful.
“I make my decisions based on the facts that we uncover,” Block said.
In comparison to his two main opponents, Democrat Helena Foulkes and Republican Aaron Guckian, he calls their plans and responses surface-level in contrast to his plans.
“The other candidates really have a superficial knowledge; my detailed knowledge of [issues] is what enables me to make the smarter decisions and push us forward,” Block said.
In regard to RIC’s Hope Scholarship and CCRI’s RI Promise Scholarship, Block is in support of both, highlighting a quality education as a way to “break the cycle of poverty,” and that affordable education provides the pathway to breaking that cycle.
On the topic of enticing teachers to stay as educators in the state, Block calls the problem complex, with each municipality in the state facing its respective issues.
“My role as governor is to have 36 conversations,” Block said. “We have 36 public school districts in this state, and we need to tackle the specific problems that each district has because they don’t share the same problems.”
Block also supports further expansion into Career and Technical Education through regional CTE centers, although he wants to look into the problem regarding public transportation to these centers. He told Anchor TV Interviews, regardless, that a career in the trades is likely a more promising and secure option due to the surge of artificial intelligence in white-collar jobs in recent years. Block thinks artificial intelligence, while useful, is also extremely dangerous and not a suitable replacement.
“AI is a tremendous research assistant,” Block said. “But to look for the finished product from it, you do that at great peril.”
If elected, Block’s relationship with President Donald Trump, in which his administration had requested that he investigate electoral fraud in the 2020 presidential election (and found little to no evidence, Block said), would aim to be a cordial one where he would work with Rhode Island’s congresspeople to find the best solution for Rhode Islanders, but would push back if necessary.
“I look at President Trump as first and foremost, the president,” Block said. “As the governor, I need to be able to ask the president to do things for my state. I cannot be at partisan war with Washington, D.C. and get what we need.”
Between his first run in 2010 and his latest run, Block told Anchor TV Interviews he’s improved greatly at operating a campaign, but has also seen personally an issue that arises in many Rhode Island families: children leaving for better opportunities in the country.
“[My children] have chosen to work outside the state, which really bugs me,” Block said. “A lot of parents have the same problem I do, they’ve watched their kids leave. I want to fix that. I think we need more opportunities here.”
Block believes that discontent with the state government’s operations and with partisan politics as a whole gives him his best shot to the governor’s office and solve the Ocean State’s problems, in a new, independent way, come January.
“I want this headache, I really do,” Block said. “I can bring a lot to the table to solve some of the problems that we have. This moment may never pop up again in politics and if I don’t take full advantage of this moment now, shame on me.”
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Register to vote and locate your polling place at vote.ri.gov.
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