Avedisian, Trillo challenging Manning for GOP post

UPDATE II: AVEDISIAN, TRILLO COMMENT (I've left a message for Manning).

Avedisian, Trillo, and the RI GOP's Donna Perry all downplay the significance of the three-way Republican National Committeeman race in relation to particular candidates and the 2010 gubernatorial race. They might be playing it straight. "Basically, it's a figurehead position," says one Smith Hill Democrat. If someone's running for governor, says the source, it could be a waste of their time and effort.

As Perry explains it, the National Committeeman post carries with it membership in the Republican National Committee and the role as chief liaison to the RNC. "It's an important post," she says. "[The Committeeman is] our person to attend informational meetings with the [national] party. We rely on the national party for institutional support." In terms of 2010, and a possible Chafee-Laffey matchup, Perry says, "I don't think it's relevant to focus on who's been aligned with who." It's more about who's going to work hard for the party, she says.

The matter is slated to be decided June 12 by the RI GOP's state Central Committee. Perry says that party chairman Gio Cicione will remain publicly neutral, but that the RI Republicans' nominating committee, chaired by Mia Caetano Johnson, will make a recommendation.

Avedisian tells me that his Committeeman run "does not change anything" in terms of making a 2010 gubernatorial campaign any more or less likely. "It has no bearing on [2010] whatsoever."

After 28 years of involvement in the RI GOP, 25 of them on the state Central Committee, "I decided this was the next thing that I wanted to do," says Avedisian.

Trillo says the party needs fresh blood in the Committeeman post. "I think I have done a lot to help this party, and I would like to do more," he says. "In the past, I just haven't seen the job done at the level that I think it could be done. The place we have continually run short is in raising money. I think the National Committeeman is in a better position to get money out of the RNC. Our current people haven't been able to get any money of any significance. I don't know what they're doing."

Trillo says a small state such as Rhode Island could be "a prime experiment" of whether the national GOP can takeover a blue state.

Asked about implications for 2010, the Rep. says, "[For] either one of them" -- Avedisian or Manning -- "it could be, but I don't see it necessarily for the upcoming gubernatorial race. I'm more concerned with working on the party on legislative races."

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UPDATE: State Representative Joseph A. Trillo of Warwick will also be competing for the RI GOP National Committeeman post. "He's definitely in," says Donna Perry, executive director of the Rhode Island Republican Party . . . More to follow.

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Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian is challenging Robert Manning of Charlestown for the RI GOP National Committeeman post, N4N has learned.

This is an interesting development, considering how Avedisian is pals with Linc Chafee, and Manning is a Steve Laffey guy. The vote for the position is in June. As we know, Chafee is a possible gubernatorial rival for Laffey in 2010.

On the female side of the equation, longtime GOP National Committeewoman Eileen Slocum is not seeking reelection, and a number of contenders, including former RI GOP chair Patricia Morgan, are in the hunt.

I have a call in to Avedisian, and will report back if I get more on this today.