Dr. Stephen Skoly kicked off his campaign for the US Congress yesterday at the Circe Prime restaurant in Cranston’s Chapel View. In officially announcing his candidacy for Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District, Skoly will now face Victor Mellor, who previously launched his campaign at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Warwick, in September’s Republican primary. The winner will face Democrat incumbent Congressman Seth Magaziner, who will be seeking his third term in the US House of Representatives.

“Doc” Skoly, the 40 year Cranston-based oral and maxillo-facial surgeon who gained statewide prominence for his popular response ad to then Governor Raimondo’s failed “Cooler-Warmer” marketing strategy and for his lawsuit against the state of Rhode Island during the Covi-19 pandemic, was joined at his announcement by many prominent state Republicans and Democrats.

On hand last evening was GOP Senate Caucus leader, Jessica de la Cruz, Senator Gordon Rogers, and Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins. Rhode Island’s national committee woman and committee man, Suzanne Cienki and Thomas Carroll, were also present.

Surprisingly in attendance was Cranston Democrat Charlene Lima, a longtime member and leader in RI’s House of Representatives. Former PC and Boston Celtics basketball star Kevin Stacom also joined to support Skoly.

In Skoly’s remarks, he reiterated that he put his entire professional surgical career on the line, when for medical reasons and on the advice of his own doctor, he declined to obey the state’s controversial vaccine mandate for healthcare workers. He stressed that by challenging the government on principle and by standing up for all healthcare professionals and first-responders, his demonstrated courage and independence should be strong indication that he will similarly stand up for his Ocean State constituents when he is in Washington, DC.

Mellor’s “Rhode Island First” event earlier this month featured many nationally prominent personalities, including General Michael Flynn, ex New England Patriots star Matt Light, and country singer Struggle Jennings.

Vic Mellor, a US Marine Corps veteran who recently moved back to Rhode Island after building a successful business career in Florida, says his life as an employer and activist “has been about creating havens for people to thrive”. He openly touts his relationship with past and present Trump Administration officials and his participation in the January 6th rally.

This fall’s GOP primary will feature two avowed conservatives and non-career politicians, but with distinctly different personas and campaign strategies. Skoly’s thoughtful “common-sense conservative” style will be matched against Mellor’s unabashed pro-MAGA approach.

It will be interesting to see which candidate Rhode Island’s Republican primary voters will choose as the better challenger to the Democrat incumbent.

In the coming weeks, both candidates will be invited by The Current to be guests on the In The Dugout with Mike Stenhouse podcast.

DISCLAIMER: Dr. Skoly is the former chairman and a current board member for the RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity, the organization which operates The Ocean State Current.