Avedisian shies from 2010 governor's race

Kathy Gregg offers some info familiar to readers of the RI blogosphere in her roundup today on the 2010 governor's race, but she does score a scoop by reporting on how Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian is backing away from the contest. These are the most specific remarks Avedisian has made about 2010, and quite a contrast from the time last year when Linc Chafee was talking up the mayor as a gubernatorial candidate:

On the Republican side, Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian flirted with the idea of running for state office, with Chafee, on an independent slate, but said early last week that he was most interested in running for Rhode Island’s 2nd Representative District seat should James R. Langevin, the Democratic incumbent, opt out. Langevin spokeswoman Joy Fox says the congressman has no plans to leave.

But Avedisian, who is up for reelection as mayor in November, said: “I don’t see myself running for governor at this point…. My first choice is to still wait for a chance to run for Congress.” Lest there be any doubt where his party loyalties lie, he is also burnishing his Republican credentials by running for a seat on the Republican National Committee.

Chafee, meanwhile -- in what I recently tabbed as a dream contest for local political junkies -- seems to be edging ever closer to a gov run.

. . . as he goes from one stop to another on his book-selling tour, Republican-turned-independent Chafee talks about what he calls the “magnet pull” to jump back in. “Even in the supermarket, I’ll be looking at a head of lettuce and someone will say … I am sorry I voted against you for the Senate. They feel compelled to tell me: ‘Don’t take it personally … I hope you run for governor.’ ”