THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL/ SANDOR BODO Providence Journal photo
Former Providence Housing Court Judge Jorge Elorza formally announces his candidacy for mayor of Providence Monday at 639 Cranston St., Elora's childhood home. Central Falls Mayor James Diossa is standing behind Elorza at Elorza's right.
PROVIDENCE, R. I. -- Former Housing Court Judge Jorge O. Elorza says it is his goal to make Rhode Island's capital "a place where working families can succeed."
Elorza, 36, is the first candidate to formally announce his bid to become Providence's next mayor with a news conference. He did it at his childhood, West End home -- now part of the Providence Rescue Mission's facilities -- with his parents, Central Falls Mayor James Diossa and several campaign staffers standing behind him.
The five leading his campaign as co-chairs are Phil West, former pastor and retired head of Common Cause of Rhode Island; Mary Langlois, board member of the Rhode Island Foundation; John Kelly, Meeting Street School chief executive officer and president; Central Falls Deputy School Supt. Victor F. Capellan, who considered joining the race earlier this year; and Lorraine Lalli, who graduated from Classical High School with Elorza in 1994 and teaches with Elorza at Roger Williams University law school.
"Having someone announce on Cranston Street is awesome," Capellan said while calling it a neighborhood in need where some residents feel neglected. "It shows you're [the residents there] just as much a part of Providence as the rest of us."
As his parents worked in textile and jewelry factories, Elorza struggled through Providence's public schools. He didn't get into any of the colleges he applied to, but ultimately graduated first in his accounting class at the University of Rhode Island and later graduated from Harvard Law School.
When a childhood friend died, Elorza moved back to Providence from New York to help -- first as an attorney with Rhode Island Legal Services, then as a city housing court judge and now as a mayoral candidate.
"Families are struggling, schools are challenged, jobs are scarce and taxes are too high," he said.
He said "we all win" by uniting neighborhoods, providing a high-quality education and keeping talented college graduates in Rhode Island.
Said Elorza, "That's a tall order and I'm running because I know it is possible to overcome great challenges and to bring the rest of our community with us."
Others in the mayoral race at this time are City Council President Michael Solomon; state House lobbyist Brett P. Smiley; Lorne A. Adrain, chairman of the former state Board of Governors for Higher Education; and psychiatrist Daniel S. Harrop III, the lone Republican.