In addition to teaching EC 179: "Corporate Governance and Management" and EC 180: "Politics and Finance," Dennis Michaud M.A. '96 Ph.D. '02 has taken on another summer project. The adjunct assistant professor of economics announced in May he will challenge incumbent Gov. Donald Carcieri '65 in the Republican gubernatorial primary this September, turning the race into a duel between a businessman turned Brown professor (Michaud) and a Brown alum who worked in business before entering politics (Carcieri). Michaud is mounting an unlikely campaign to use his economic expertise to aid the state's economy.
As a newcomer to local politics, Michaud will have to overcome widespread anonymity, said Darrell West, professor of political science and director of the Taubman Center for Public Policy.
Still, Michaud has made some waves because of his alleged connection to unions and to the board of directors of Beacon Mutual, for which he formerly served as a paid consultant.
"It's not a great way to launch your campaign when people think you are a stalking horse for organized interest groups," West said. But, he added, "There are a lot of groups upset with (Carcieri) who encourage (Michaud's) candidacy."
Michaud has denied allegations - aired both in newspapers and on political blogs - that he caters to interest groups.
"The unions have given me no money," Michaud said. "The unions are not doing any work for me. They support Charlie Fogarty," he added, referring to Democratic gubernatorial nominee and current Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty.
Despite media coverage, Michaud is still widely considered an underdog, West said. For one thing, Carcieri received the nomination from the state Republican Party.
"I think (Michaud) has had a tough time," West said. "He went to the Republican state convention. In order to make a speech, you need a second. He made a motion but could not get a second, so he was not able to make a speech."
Still, Michaud remains optimistic regarding the September primary, giving himself a "50-50 chance" against Carcieri.
Michaud said he believes his stance as a progressive Republican may appeal to disaffiliated Democrats. If a significant number of the state's nearly 15,000 disaffiliated Democratic voters opt to make themselves eligible for the Republican primary, this may boost Michaud's prospects.
"Most (Democrats) will be for me," Michaud said. "The governor is opposed to any abortion (and) he does not believe in the separation of church and state."
According to a June 26-28 Brown University poll, Michaud is not favored against Fogarty if he beats Carcieri in the primary. The lieutenant governor outpolled Michaud by a margin of 57 to 11 percent.
Maureen Moakley, a professor at the University of Rhode Island and chair of the school's political science department, said Michaud's "highly visible" campaign focuses on economic issues. So far, much of his campaigning has served to "question the governor's ability to create jobs. He is using his expertise as an economist to question the governor's performance," she said.
Michaud offered sharp criticism of Carcieri in a recent interview, saying, "I'm fed up. The governor has screwed up my state. The economic performance of this state has been abominable. I think another four years of him would put economic development back 10 years."
Michaud said his candidacy has been met with hostility from Carcieri.
"The governor's strategy was immediately to take me out of the campaign," Michaud said. "(West) told me (Carcieri) would have this happen. His minions will lie about me and try to destroy me."
When interviewed for an April 25 Herald article, he said, "I think Governor Carcieri is a fine and decent man, but he is completely unqualified to be governor, and he has learned absolutely nothing in the last three years. I doubt anything will be different in a second term."
