Looking Back on Michaud

On July 21st, The Providence Journal reported that Brown Economics Professor Dennis Michaud was disqualified from running for governor this term. Who was this professor of ours who almost appeared on the November ballot? Let’s take a look…

Dennis W. Michaud teaches a business economics courses at Brown as an adjunct professor. He received his PhD rather recently—Brown bestowed the degree upon him in 2002—and has been teaching only since receiving his degree. He also holds a BA from Washington and Lee, an MBA from Emory University, and an MA from Brown.

Although Michaud’s family is from Rhode Island, he only settled in the Ocean State in 1994 after spending most of his life along the East Coast. Recently Michaud began campaigning heavily for depoliticizing the board of Beacon Mutual, Rhode Island’s state-owned worker’s compensation provider. His views conflicted with the current administration’s, which doesn’t want to give up the power it now holds over appointing directors to Beacon’s board. Rumor had it that some powerful backers, particularly in Beacon, were pushing Michaud to run against incumbent Governor Don Carcieri. When The Providence Journal asked him in April if he would run, Michaud replied, “I’m inclined not to do it. It’s not worth it.”

Then in May, Michaud announced his intention to enter the Republican primary. According to The Brown Daily Herald, he “could not stomach the thought of [Carcieri] being in there another four years.” Michaud went on to stress that, despite the criticism he directed towards the Governor, his real opponent would be Lieutenant Governor Charles Fogarty, the Democratic candidate.

Michaud never faced Fogarty. His petition needed one thousand signatures on it by July 21st. Michaud’s petition supposedly contained 1500 names, but the Secretary of State declared the official count of valid signatures was only 933. This meant Michaud could not run. Instead of challenging the count, the professor declared that Republican victory was more important than his agenda, and supported Carcieri.

Why did Michaud’s campaign end so abruptly? His opponents have a few answers to that question. Some of Michaud’s critics attacked his mysterious shortage of academic papers or accolades in relation to his status as a professor. Judging him as an academic, however, is unfair because most of his accomplishments are business-related. Granted, Michaud’s website describes him as “an academic and teacher”, but his other positions he held are more impressive: a commercial lending officer at Bank of America, an investment banker at JP Morgan Chase, a “licensed mortgage broker, general contractor, and realtor” in Florida, as well as the founder of several successful startups.