The Westerly Sun - "Tingle talks tough about politics, conservatism"
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The Westerly Sun - "Tingle talks tough about politics, conservatism"
"I definitely have a chance. It's race, so I have a chance (to win). Someone has to win. It could be me."
But Robert Tingle, a casino pit boss, isn't naïve. "Trust me; I know the odds are against me. But it's not a game. It's democracy."
The 50-year-old Westerly husband and father of two daughters declared his candidacy against incumbent and long-time Rhode Island Democrat in the U. S. Senate, Jack Reed.
Tingle, a Pennsylvania native by way of New Jersey, worked in Atlantic City casinos before moving to Westerly, currently on Albert Street, to work at Foxwoods Resort and Casino. He and his family have lived in Westerly, Hopkinton, South Kingstown and back to Westerly over the years. He said he's been involved in Republican politics for more than a decade. Tingle ran as the GOP candidate from Rhode Island's 2nd Congressional District against Rep. Jim Langevin in 2000, was a delegate for Sen. John McCain at the 2000 Republican National Convention and in 2002, ran unsuccessfully against Reed in 2002.
Tingle, a hard-line conservative Republican, had his political epiphany more than 25 years ago. Jan. 20, 1981 Tingle watched as his "hero" was sworn in as the 40th president of the United States.
"He was truly magnificent," Tingle said of Republican President Ronald Reagan. "He's truly my hero."
In politics and in life.
On national security, Tingle is no dove. And he said he "fully supports" the war in Iraq. "I support the surge (in Iraq). We need to deal with Al Qaeda. We must defeat them like we did the Nazis. (Al Qaeda) wants to conquer us. They want to destroy us. We can't let them."
When it comes to judicial appointments to the Supreme Court, he won't budge; he'll "say no" to any judicial nominee that supports Roe v. Wade. "I am saying I won't appoint a judge if they don't support overturning Roe v. Wade under any circumstances." A Roman Catholic, Tingle said he is "very strongly" pro-life: "My position is abolishing abortion [is as like] abolishing slavery."
On energy, he said, "we need to make ourselves independent of foreign sources of energy as quickly as possible. In the short run, we need to increase domestic oil production by opening up (the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration) and our offshore oil reserves to drilling in an environmentally responsible way. In the long run we need to develop alternative sources of energy like solar, wind, hydrogen fuel cell, bio-fuels and clean coal technology." And added he is "opposed to the expansion of nuclear energy."
Tingle said he supports the fair tax.' "It is time to stop punishing Americans for working hard and investing. With the fair tax,' everyone will pay their fair share, no loopholes, no deductions, no IRS." Tingle believes the IRS should be abolished.
On illegal immigration, Tingle said his solution is simple: "Seal the borders."
"I don't fault anyone who wants to come and get a better quality of life, as long as it's legal." Tingle said he believes if employers didn't hire "illegals (sic), we wouldn't have a problem." He proposes stiff penalties for employers who hire "illegals (sic), because if the jobs are not there for illegal immigrants this problem will cease to exist."
Tingle is fiercely supportive of the Second Amendment; the right to bear arms and he has been supportive of instant background checks for gun purchase.
Reed is facing two Democratic challengers and is expected to easily defeat both in a primary election. But Reed will face Republican Tingle, for the second time, in November.
"I have the vision to do what Reed hasn't in 16 years," Tingle said. "We still have no energy policy. What is Sen. Reed's plan," he asked rhetorically.
"Six years ago, (in a 2002 debate) we talked about it." Tingle said he looks forward to debating Reed again.
This year, perhaps in Westerly; "That would be a great idea."
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