The bumper crop of autumnal acorns could be used as fill to inch out the borders of the Ocean State. Welcome to the return of my weekly column. You can follow me through the week on threads and what we used to call the twitters. Here we go.

STORY OF THE WEEK: As the presidential drama plays out nationally, another political clash is racing to a conclusion here in Rhode Island: Senate Majority Leader Ryan Pearson’s effort to retain his post amid an eventual change in the top leadership of the chamber. Senate President Dominick Ruggerio is backing Whip Val Lawson to replace Pearson as majority leader. Pearson, formerly seen as heir-apparent, lost Ruggerio’s support when he broached the topic of succession during a visit to the president’s North Providence home earlier this year as the president was dealing with cancer and other health issues. Given the top-down nature of legislative politics, it would be surprising if Ruggerio doesn’t get what he wants when a Senate caucus votes for majority leader. But the president missed long stretches of the 2024 session, including the key weeks before recess, and Rhode Island’s longest-serving lawmaker can not remain president in perpetuity. Sen. Lou DiPalma (D-Middletown), chair of the Senate Finance Committee, told me this week that Ruggerio’s health is improving and that “he’s back -- ready to get back to work.” But for some senators, Ruggerio’s health remains a question mark -- and that could buttress Pearson’s argument that the chamber has lost power in relation to the House of Representatives. What happens next is not certain, given how the contest for majority leader may instead be a debate about the Senate’s future leadership.

PALACE INTRIGUE: TGIF has learned that the Senate caucus is expected to be held at the Providence Marriott on Orms Street on Thursday, Nov. 7, although Senate spokesman Greg Pare declined to confirm that or say whether it will be open to reporters. A key question: will Dominick Ruggerio be there? According to Ryan Pearson, written rules shared with senators (which are separate from the rules governing the Senate) make it the role of the majority leader to call a caucus, although Pearson said this can also be done through a letter supported by a majority of senators. Pearson said the caucus could happen any time between election day and January, although he said Nov. 7 would be a typical date for the event. With less drama across the rotunda, the House of Representatives’ caucus is planned for Spain, the restaurant in Cranston, on Friday, Nov. 8.

SIBERIA AND BACK: Will Ryan Pearson be able to come back politically from challenging Senate President Ruggerio’s choice for majority leader? Stranger things have happened. In 2006, Rep. John DeSimone, backed by dissident Democrats, unsuccessfully tried to unseat then-Speaker Bill Murphy. Eight years later, after a raid that eventually landed then-Speaker Gordon Fox in prison, DeSimone emerged as majority leader when Nick Mattiello won the speakership in 2014. And although Rep. Chris Blazejewski was aligned with Mattiello’s rival for the speakership, former Rep. Mike Marcello, the Providence Democrat became majority leader as part of House Speaker Joe Shekarchi’s leadership in 2021.

THE ELECTION: Secretary of State Gregg Amore calls Donald Trump an outlier because of how he popularized the false narrative about a stolen election in 2020. Asked about his concerns about what this means if Trump wins the election next month, Amore said on Political Roundtable, “I think one of the hallmarks of American exceptionalism has been that we have proceeded with elections and then proceeded with the peaceful transfer of power and both the losing candidate and the populace has accepted those results. And that has happened throughout American history until 2020. And so, you know, that’s dangerous and I still think that’s dangerous and it’s unfortunate because American democracy can only survive if our citizens are comfortable, and confident in the process. And there is no evidence to support the former president’s claims.”

WHEN WILL WE KNOW? Secretary Amore’s answer to my question of when a winner will be declared in the presidential race: “It’s hard to say. I can’t predict because polling has been poor. Midterm polling predicted a red wave. It did not materialize. The Santos special election in New York predicted a razor close margin. The Democrat won easily. So it’s very difficult to predict. I think the closer it is, the longer it’s going to take to figure out who the winner is.”

GINA FOR KAMALA: A crowd of about 200 or so people came to the WaterFire Arts Center in Providence on Thursday night for a Kamala Harris fundraiser featuring an appearance by former Gov. Gina Raimondo. While the invitation called Raimondo “a special guest … participating in her personal capacity,” the Commerce secretary’s willingness to jet around the country in support of Harris shows how she is well-regarded by national Democrats. Reporters were not allowed into the event, which reportedly raised about $200,000. Besides Raimondo, those making remarks included U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo, House Speaker Joe Shekarchi, and Providence Mayor Brett Smiley.

SHAKE IT OFF: Westerly homeowner Taylor Swift is featured in a new pro-Harris digital ad from Democrats Serve, the group launched by former RI politico Brett Broesder.

INSPECTOR GENERAL: Legislative leaders’ disinterest in creating an office of inspector general is among the points cited by some advocates of staging a constitutional convention. Did you know that every federal agency has an inspector general? If you’re interested in the topic, consider this NPR Fresh Air interview with Glenn Fine, who spent 11 years as the IG for the Department of Justice. Come for Fine’s description of how he got dismissed by President Trump in 2020. Stay for the story of how he had his best game as co-captain of Harvard’s basketball team against a Boston College team that Fine didn’t know had been bribed by two of the characters portrayed in Goodfellas, on the same day when he interviewed in Baltimore for, and received, a Rhodes Scholarship.

TIME OFF: A new Brookings Institution report proposes amending federal law to allow for wider use of paid time off. It’s modeled on a measure introduced by U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner. A Senate companion was introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION: The outcome of Question 1, whether to stage a ConCon, is one of the top question marks on the Nov. 5 ballot in Rhode Island. Here are arguments for and against.

PRO: State Sen. Sam Zurier (D-Providence) is departing from the state’s Democratic establishment in supporting a yes vote on Question 1 to stage a constitutional convention. Here’s an excerpt from one of his recent newsletters: “[T]he opponents of Question 1 are silent about the potential benefits of a Constitutional Convention, not even discussing how Rhode Island benefited in 1986. Instead, the opponents are trying to scare us by imagining the horrible proposals that a Constitutional Convention could present to the voters. The opponents do not discuss the fact that we Rhode Island voters have the final say on any proposal that comes out of a Constitutional convention. They also do not discuss the available data we have from 1986, in which Rhode Island voters made wise choices. Put another way, I find it sad that the opponents of Question 1 have such a low opinion of our ability as voters to approve beneficial proposals and to reject harmful ones.”

CON: House Speaker Joe Shekarchi this week released an op-ed arguing against a Constitutional Convention. And the advocacy group Reject Question 1 highlighted opposition to a ConCon from such prominent Latinos as Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera, General Treasurer James Diossa, and activist-physician Dr. Pablo Rodriguez. “A Constitutional Convention is a significant threat to the civil rights of Rhode Island’s immigrant and minority communities,” Rodriguez said in a statement. “Across the country, wealthy special interests have dumped unlimited money into state ballot referenda trying to take away rights of many different groups of people. Rights we as Rhode Islanders have fought hard for could all come under attack if we approve a Constitutional Convention – affirmative action, non-discrimination laws, voting rights, the right to bail, access to drivers’ licenses, emergency health care services, public education and more. These laws have been passed to improve Rhode Island’s economy, promote equality, and enhance public safety – and they’ll all be placed at risk if we approve a Constitutional Convention. Nothing will be off the table.”

GENERAL MATTERS: Since my column took last week off, here’s another bite at the apple for my lively and wide-ranging interview with Attorney General Peter Neronha. Among the topics: how Neronha’s findings on the probe involving a controversial educational consulting contract awarded to the ILO Group are expected shortly.

ON THE MOVE: Speaking of Neronha, the AG’s comms director, Brian Hodge, is set to work his last day in the office on Nov. 1. Hodge is mum for now on his next move. Timothy Rondeau will take over Hodge’s responsibilities.

SWEET SOUNDS: Via NPR: “Putting the swing in a crucial swing state, most of Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley cast ballots for Barack Obama. Years later, it switched to Donald Trump and then reversed itself again to assist President Biden's 2020 victory. But the region swings for another reason. Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, and Tracy Chapman are among the music giants who have played guitars made by the world's oldest guitar maker in the borough of Nazareth.”

KICKER: Hard to believe, Bunky (with apologies to the late Bill Reynolds), but, yes, 20 years have passed since the Red Sox etched a comeback for the ages in 2004. You can wind back the years via a new series on Netflix … Rest in Peace, Fernando Valenzuela -- who, along with hurlers like Mark “the Bird” Fidrych and Al “the Mad Hungarian” Hrabosky -- was part of what made baseball so fun back in the day …. Sorry (not sorry) to my Yankee friends, but the official TGIF World Series prediction is Dodgers in 7.

Ian Donnis can be reached at idonnis@thepublicsradio.org.