The Cranston GOP primary is among the state’s hottest electoral races this year. Pictured is Cranston City Hall. (Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)
They say familiarity breeds contempt. To wit: Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins and Rep. Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung — once political allies and friends, but now rivals in a fiery race that is arguably Rhode Island’s hottest primary day contest this year.
The two have spared little ammo in their verbal barrages on each other ahead of the city’s GOP primary on Tuesday, Sept. 10. Things have obviously changed since 2020, when Hopkins’ mayoral campaign had the endorsement of Allan Fung — the office’s predecessor and Fenton-Fung’s husband.
Cranston GOP mayoral candidates spat over tuition costs for immigrants
Most recently, a lawsuit that alleged Hopkins essentially drove away with a 1975 Morris Garage MGB Anniversary Edition and has yet to pay for or return the sports car to its owner. The lawsuit was first reported by the Boston Globe and Hummel Report . Hopkins has mantained he had a verbal agreement involving the ownership of the car and told the Globe the car story was a “prop” orchestrated for Fenton-Fung’s campaign, adding that the lawsuit is “meritless.” The story has even received national coverage on Jalopnik, a popular car news site.