Sources: Kilmartin a Go for AG

Sources say State Representative Peter Kilmartin, Democrat of Pawtucket, is set to run for Attorney General next year. N4N first reported Kilmartin's interest in the post in June.

Kilmartin, a former police officer-turned-lawyer who did not return calls for comment, will be able to draw on his professional background and long service as a legislator in making a case for the job.

Kilmartin's candidacy raises interesting questions about the prospective candidacy of Bill Lynch, chairman of the Democratic Party. Lynch is also from Pawtucket. And if he runs, the pair would be competing for the same base. Does Kilmartin's step forward suggest that he is confident Lynch won't run?

Lynch, in an interview, said he will not be deterred by the decision of any other potential candidate. He said he is on track to make a decision on whether to run sometime in January.

Lynch's brother Patrick currently holds the AG's job and is gearing up for a gubernatorial run. Patrick Lynch, among others, has raised concerns that voters might be turned off by a pair of brothers on the same ballot. Bill Lynch says he is speaking with politicos in Rhode Island, which has no experience with a dual run in memory, and talking to operatives elsewhere, where two family members have run simultaneously of late, to gauge the potential impact. He said the issue will factor into his ultimate decision.

Several others have floated their names as potential candidates for the office. Insiders say the most active, to date, are Joe Fernandez, former city solicitor for Providence, and Steve Archambault, a Smithfield town council member who has already announced his candidacy.