How deep are the culture-war divisions in Rhode Island's Democrat-dominated legislature? When it comes to guns and abortion — and other core issues underlying the attempt by some Democratic lawmakers to replace conservative Nicholas Mattiello as the House speaker — the answer is, deep.

PROVIDENCE — How deep are the culture-war divisions in Rhode Island's Democrat-dominated legislature?

When it comes to guns and abortion — and other core issues underlying the attempt by some Democratic lawmakers to replace conservative Nicholas Mattiello as the House speaker — the answer is, deep. And the hostilities are now out in the open, heading into the session that starts Jan. 1.

What does this bode? Keep reading.

But first, a look at who stands where among the new and returning lawmakers who will take their seats in House and Senate chambers once again dominated by Democrats.

In the 75-member House, 26 incumbents and representatives-elect, including Mattiello, won endorsements from the Rhode Island State Right to Life Committee, the group battling efforts to enshrine the right to an abortion in state law. All but seven were Democrats.

On the other side, 31 lawmakers and lawmakers-to-be were endorsed by the political arm of Planned Parenthood. Nineteen of them are aligned with the newly branded "Reform Caucus" opposing Mattiello, and seeking rules changes to strip the speaker of power. The only non-Democrat on the list is Republican John Lyle, of Lincoln.

There are 18 potential "swing" votes among lawmakers who were not endorsed by either side.

On the issue of guns — which in recent years has centered on proposals to ban "assault-weapons" and guns on school grounds — 31 new and returning House lawmakers secured A or B ratings from the National Rifle Association. Another 34 received C, D or F ratings. (Several of the newbies were not rated.)

The A ratings are reserved for lawmakers who not only have "an excellent voting record on all critical NRA issues,'' but who also made "a vigorous effort to promote and defend the 2nd Amendment,'' according to the NRA lexicon. An F rating is reserved for someone the organization describes as a "true enemy of gun owners' rights."

The 16 A ratings went to Mattiello and his fellow Democrats John Lombardi (Providence), Charlene Lima (Cranston), Christopher Millea (Cranston), Robert Jacquard (Cranston), Brian Kennedy (Hopkinton), Stephen Casey (Woonsocket), Robert Phillips (Woonsocket) and Arthur Corvese (North Providence), along with Republicans George Nardone (Coventry), Sherry Roberts (West Greenwich), Justin Price (Richmond), Michael Chippendale (Foster), Robert Quattrocchi (Scituate), David Place (Burrillville) and Brian Newberry (North Smithfield).



The 28 F ratings all went to Democrats: Edith Ajello (Providence), Christopher Blazejewski (Providence), Moira Walsh (Providence), Rebecca Kislak (Providence), Marcia Ranglin-Vassell (Providence), Anastasia Williams (Providence), Grace Diaz (Providence), Joseph Almeida (Providence), Mario Mendez (Johnston), Arthur Handy (Cranston), Evan Shanley (Warwick), Justine Caldwell (East Greenwich), Julie Casimiro (North Kingstown), Robert Craven (North Kingstown), Carol McEntee (South Kingstown), Teresa Tanzi (South Kingstown), Kathleen Fogarty (South Kingstown), James McLaughlin (Cumberland), Carlos Tobon (Pawtucket), Jean Philippe Barros (Pawtucket), Katherine Kazarian (East Providence), Gregg Amore (East Providence), Liana Cassar (Barrington), Jason Knight (Barrington), Laufton Ascencao (Bristol), Susan Donovan (Bristol), Deborah Ruggiero (Jamestown) and Lauren Carson (Newport).

At least 17 of the 28 lawmakers with F ratings from the NRA are in the rebel group seeking Mattiello's ouster — or, short of that, rules changes that strip him of power: Ajello, Almeida, Ascencao, Caldwell, Carson, Cassar, Donovan, Fogarty, Handy, Kazarian, Kislak, Knight, McEntee, Ranglin-Vassell, Ruggiero, Tanzi and Walsh. (Not all were ranked.)

But here's where the lines blur.

Some of the lawmakers siding with Mattiello, who won reelection in his conservative Cranston district by portraying himself as the "firewall'' between mainstream Democrats and “ultra left-wing groups,'' have Planned Parenthood endorsements and D or F ratings from the NRA.

They include Williams, Shanley, Casimiro, Barros and Blazejewski, the deputy House majority whip.

House Majority Leader K. Joseph Shekarchi (Warwick) is a Mattiello backer with a Right to Life Committee endorsement and a D from the NRA. (On guaranteeing the legality of abortion, Shekarchi said last week that he is open to hearing the arguments.)

The 11 Democratic lawmakers backing Mattiello who, like him, have a Right to Life Committee endorsement and an A or B from the NRA include Daniel McKiernan (Providence), Camille Vella Wilkinson (Warwick), Joseph Solomon (Warwick), Patricia Serpa (West Warwick), Samuel Azzinaro (Westerly), Stephen Ucci (Johnston), Stephen Casey (Woonsocket), Robert Phillips (Woonsocket), William O'Brien (North Providence), Arthur Corvese (North Providence), and John "Jay" Edwards (Tiverton), the House majority whip.

There's one more who fits the profile, Lombardi, but he has aligned himself with the Reform Caucus.

The Senate scorecard

The 38-member Senate tilts a bit more to the right.

But with no leadership fight there at the moment, the more pertinent question is: What happens to legislation in the Senate if Mattiello, in an attempt to make peace in his own chamber, bends on abortion or guns?

Based on who got endorsed by which side, it would appear the 38-member Senate leans 17 to 13 against passage of any law to guarantee the legality of abortion, with eight members not endorsed by either side. Senate President Dominick Ruggerio is one of the nay votes.

But the Senate leans 19 to 17 against the NRA on a wide range of gun-related issues, with no rating for one incumbent, 18 F ratings, a D for Senate Judiciary Chairwoman Erin Lynch Prata and a C for Sen. Adam Satchell (D-West Warwick), which puts him smack in the middle, two B(s) and 15 A-rated senators.

In addition to Ruggerio, senators with A ratings from the NRA include: Democrats Frank Ciccone (Providence), Walter Felag (Warren), Roger Picard (Woonsocket), Stephen Archambault (Smithfield), Frank Lombardo (Johnston), Frank Lombardi (Cranston), Leonidas Raptakis (Coventry), V. Susan Sosnowski (South Kingstown) and Senate Majority Leader Michael McCaffrey (Warwick), and Republicans Dennis Algiere (Westerly), Jessica de la Cruz (North Smithfield), Thomas Paolino (Lincoln), Gordon Rogers (Foster) and Elaine Morgan (Hopkinton). Two senators got B ratings: Democrats Hanna Gallo (Warwick) and Ryan Pearson (Cumberland).

The F ratings went to Democrats Maryellen Goodwin (Providence), Senate Majority Whip Ana Quezada (Providence), Gayle Goldin (Providence), Samuel Bell (Providence), Harold Metts (Providence), James Seveney (Portsmouth), Louis DiPalma (Middletown), Dawn Euer (Newport), Val J. Lawson (East Providence), Donna Nesselbush (Pawtucket), Elizabeth Crowley (Central Falls), William Conley (East Providence), Melissa Murray (Woonsocket), Joshua Miller (Cranston), Mark McKenney (Warwick), Cynthia Coyne (Barrington), Bridget Valverde (North Kingstown) and James Sheehan (North Kingstown). One senator got a D rating: Democrat Erin Lynch Prata (Warwick).

Mattiello turning left?



Steven Frias did not retreat from state GOP politics after losing his second bid to unseat Mattiello on Election Day.

In fact, Frias, who is still the state's national Republican committeeman, is making several predictions after looking at these same endorsements and rankings.

"As Rhode Island House Democrats move left on cultural issues, I believe Mattiello will move left to hold on to power,'' said Frias. "In 2008, Mattiello sponsored legislation to define marriage as being between a man and woman, and then, in 2013, when he was majority leader, with most House Democrats supporting gay marriage, he sponsored legislation recognizing gay marriage."

"After [he] received only 44 votes at the House Democratic caucus, which is insufficient to pass the entire budget, Mattiello began to rhetorically move to the left," Frias continued. "He told the Providence Journal, 'We've actually done progressive things.' He told [The Public's Radio], 'Some progressive issues are great.'"

Frias said his own analysis of the ratings suggests that "Mattiello is in the minority among House Democrats on abortion and guns, which helps explain why [he] has dropped the 'firewall' rhetoric."

"Mattiello’s dilemma is whether to allow a floor vote where representatives will be allowed to vote their conscience on legislation related to abortion and guns. Regardless of what he decides, someone will feel duped,'' either the "House liberals ... [or] the cultural conservatives who backed [him] for reelection thinking he would be the 'firewall' on abortion and guns."

Frias' argument: "If Mattiello betrays his culturally conservative constituents it would be a signal to cultural conservatives that they cannot rely on the Democratic House leadership and they should vote Republican in General Assembly races."

Mattiello's response: “The issues are much more complicated than he realizes. On all of these issues, we will hold committee hearings and obtain input from the public. Where that takes us is not yet determined, but what is clear is that the process can be unpredictable. How else can you explain how Mr. Frias, a Western Cranston Republican, sided and collaborated with progressives during the last campaign?”

Frias' retort: "I did not side, collaborate, or coordinate with progressives. Unlike the speaker's campaign, I don’t engage in illegal coordination. Mattiello makes this stuff up to distract people from the fact that he now wants to collaborate with progressives."