Former Rhode Island Mayor Announces 2024 Republican Presidential Bid

Steve Laffey former mayor of Cranston, Rhode Island, and 2024 Republican presidential candidate. Courtesy of Steve Laffey

Former Cranston, Rhode Island, mayor Steve Laffey announced on Feb. 2 that he will be running for president in the 2024 Republican primary.

In a video statement, the Republican said that he will assist the United States in dealing with its current issues, notably the financial crisis.

“I’m running because our country needs to directly confront its problems my party and the elected leaders of our country simply refuse to do so,” Laffey said.

“My background as a financial expert and someone who’s worked well in the private sector is what we need. Now we don’t need just the businessman; we don’t need career politicians. We have a financial crisis and we need specific solutions, which I have.”

Praised For Swiftest Fiscal Turnaround

Laffey spent two terms as mayor of Cranston, from 2003 until 2007, and took over the city when it had the lowest bond rating in the country.

His supporters credit him with launching the swiftest fiscal turnaround in American history.

In four years, the bond rating rose by eight notches. An insolvent pension system was also repaired, with assets increasing by 500 percent.

In 2006, Laffey ran for the United States Senate but lost the Republican primary to then-Sen. Lincoln Chafee. He then relocated to Colorado and ran for a U.S. House seat in 2014 where he finished fourth in a four-way GOP primary there.

Laffey is building his platform on fixing the United States’ financial problems. His website features a trailer for a documentary called “Fixing America,” which highlights some of the deepening issues faced by the American people.

“What if regular Americans were asked for their ideas on how to fix America’s problems?” Laffey’s documentary website stated in the caption under the video.

“In a time of the unprecedented global financial disaster, the ‘ordinary’ American people are most suited to disentangle problems and crucial issues. In fact, they are the ones who deal with complexity everyday, struggling to make ends meet.”

Laffey is entering the Republican race for the presidency alongside former President Donald Trump and possibly former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.

Haley has not officially announced her candidacy yet, however, Politico reported that a person familiar with the politician’s plans confirmed that she would announce her candidacy on Feb. 15.