By the time you read this column you will know whether there is any glimmer of hope for change at the state house. I say “glimmer” because it is difficult to work up a sweat over any fresh blood since only 27 of 113 races have challengers. In any event it is still illustrative to see if even those contests which have some competition have yielded any changing of the guard.

Take, for example, the primary between democrats John DeSimone, the incumbent, and Marcia Ranglin-Vassell, a teacher. Certainly, Mr. DeSimone has been in the news lately and not all of it complimentary. It seems he has a difficult time remembering when to pay his property taxes. Since I have to write this column before the votes are counted I expect that he will emerge as the democratic candidate.

Ditto for the race between democrats Frank Ciccone and challenger Doris De Los Santos. The changing demographics of the district might have given a boost to De Los Santos but the mayoral battle between Charles Lombardi and Kristin Catanzaro will bring out voters in North Providence, which is the part of the district more attuned to vote for an Italian legislative candidate.

In Providence there is a race between Representative Anastasia Williams and Michael Gadzacko. The Rep also has been in the news for forgetting to list her city job and her position on the Board of the Nickerson House in her ethics filings. She took to the floor of the House to act the role of a martyr when the dastardly press reported her oversights. Nonetheless, Mr. Gadzacko has been linked to a slum landlord, which doesn’t play too well in a district with a lot of substandard housing.
Perhaps the only wild card in the House races is the challenge by councilwoman Camille Valla-Wilkinson who is giving incumbent Eileen Naughton a run for her money. If there is any upset it will be in this race.

On the Senate side, lawyer Jamie Doyle of Pawtucket is being challenged by Matt Fecteau and Mark Theroux. Mr. Doyle has had a plateful of bad press over paying off a judgment he owes to a woman business owner. Perhaps if he had only 1 challenger instead of two worthy opponents who will split the anti-Doyle vote he could have been defeated. His father’s recent death and the lionization of the “Doyle” legacy will also have a helpful effect.

The real issue, of course, is even given the challengers, how much different are they from the incumbents? They are also teachers, lawyers, and union-backed candidates who really don’t represent any “missing constituency” on Smith Hill. Take, for example, the race between Gina Petrarca-Karampetsos, whose family is ever present in the halls of the state house, union-endorsed Denis Lavallee, Kevin McKenna, and Hagop Jawharjian. In the case of the first 2 candidates, how much of a change do either of them represent?

So, despite all the jaw-boning about the legislature the proof of citizen indifference is evident in the overwhelming number of races which are uncontested and the twin- and triplet-like “challengers” with some exceptions, of course, who are duplicate special interests’ candidates as well. Then, there’s the matter of voter turnout, oye!

Arlene Violet is an attorney and former Rhode Island Attorney General.