SCOOP: Pacheco is dropping out of contention for Dem nomination for Secretary of State

Puts his young family and the non-profit group he runs first

By Will Collette

Ed brought his daughter along on  one of his many trips to
Charlestown, in this instance, a CDTC fundraiser for Senator
Whitehouse

Former Democratic State Party Chair Ed Pacheco told us he is withdrawing from the race for Secretary of State. 

Pacheco faced a three-way primary fight with Newport philanthropist Guillaume DeRamel and former HousingWorksRI Executive Director Nellie Gorbea. The race pitted three well-qualified, progressive candidates against each other for the chance to fill the office currently held by term limited incumbent Ralph Mollis.

Ed runs a non-profit group called Education in Action. He said he has been trying to complete a capital fundraising campaign and found that donors who would be inclined to give were hesitant, given the uncertainty of Ed’s continued leadership.

Ed has also found that he has spent more time away from his family than he wants to after almost four years as state party chair and now as a candidate.

Unsaid was the daunting challenge of raising the kind of money he would need to win against his opponents, both of whom have been raising more in campaign contributions. 

Plus, DeRamel, who ran and nearly won the nomination in 2006, has a large personal fortune.

Ed has been a frequent visitor to Charlestown, helping the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee (CDTC) to rebuild and to run candidates to challenge the ruling Charlestown Citizens Alliance (Tea) Party. 

As state chair, Ed also made the state party apparatus more efficient and greatly broadened the size and diversity of the membership of the Democratic State Committee.

Ed was in Charlestown only last month, seeking the endorsement of the CDTC. Both of the remaining democratic candidates are slated to meet with the CDTC this month at the Committee’s September 21 meeting.

Go to the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website for more details.