Rhode Island’s four Democratic candidates seeking to succeed term-limited Attorney General Peter Neronha found common ground on most issues during a two-hour debate Thursday evening, though the cordial tone turned more contentious toward the end.
Kim Ahern, Keith Hoffmann, Rep. Jason Knight, and Rep. Joe Solomon sat before over 100 people inside the community room at Southside Cultural Center in Providence for a “justice and policy debate” hosted by OpenDoors. The discussion was moderated by Nick Horton, co-executive director of the nonprofit that helps formerly incarcerated people, those struggling with addiction and other unhoused people.
Questions from Horton and other community advocates focused on police accountability, bail reform and automating the expungement of criminal records — issues candidates each supported to varying degrees…