Pell's grandson thinking about Rhode Island gov race

The grandson of a Rhode Island political luminary is considering running for governor next year.

Herbert Claiborne "Clay" Pell IV told WPRI-TV on Monday that he has begun a "serious process" to decide whether to seek the Democratic nomination for governor. Pell, 31, recently worked for the U.S. Department of Education and was a judge advocate general in the U.S. Coast Guard.

The Democratic race to replace Gov. Lincoln Chafee, a Republican turned Democrat, is expected to be a hot one next year. Providence Mayor Angel Taveras officially declared his candidacy on Monday and state Treasurer Gina Raimondo is also considering the race.

Pell's grandfather, Claiborne Pell, served in the U.S. Senate served six terms from 1961 to 1997 and is perhaps best known for his chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The elder Pell died in 2009 at the age of 90.

The younger Pell told the Rhode Island TV station that he is trying to decide how a campaign will affect his wife, figure skater Michelle Kwan, and their family. Pell and Kwan, who got married in January, are making the rounds at Democratic political events.

Political scions carry weight in Rhode Island. Chafee is the son of the late Rhode Island governor and U.S. senator John Chafee, a moderate Republican, and succeeded his father in the Senate.

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