We played word games with Governor Raimondo. The race for president was the topic

Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo stands on the State House steps after taking the oath of office in Providence, R.I., Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019. Raimondo was sworn into a second term in office, promising to continue bringing change to set the state on a "path for enduring success." (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)Michael Dwyer/Associated Press

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LEADING OFF

Happy Friday and welcome to Rhode Map, your daily guide to everything happening in the Ocean State. I'm Dan McGowan and I think "A Christmas Story" is easily the greatest film ever made. Follow me on Twitter @DanMcGowan or send tips to [e-mail].

Governor Gina M. Raimondo isn’t ready to endorse a candidate for president, but she has plenty of thoughts on the Democratic field.

In an interview with the Globe this week, she agreed to play word association with Ed Fitzpatrick about the seven candidates who took the stage for last night’s debate in Los Angeles.

When asked the first word that comes to mind for each candidate, here’s what she had to say.

Joe Biden: “Likable.”

Elizabeth Warren: “Fighter.”

Bernie Sanders: “Socialist.”

Pete Buttigieg: “Talented.”

Amy Klobuchar: “Smart.”

Andrew Yang: “Innovator.”

Tom Steyer: “Businessman.”

Bonus question: What word comes to mind when she thinks of Michael Bloomberg, the former New York City mayor that she once called her “political idol”?

“Effective,” she said.

Raimondo said it is unclear to her who will emerge to seize the Democratic presidential nomination.“You have a very fluid field,” she said, noting that Bloomberg and former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick recently entered the race.

“You have people dropping in and dropping out regularly. We are ending the year with no clear front-runner.”

So she said she wouldn’t be surprised if the primary fight went right down to the Democratic National Convention, set for July 13-16 in Milwaukee.“

You could easily see a guy like Sanders not dropping out,” Raimondo said. “And meanwhile, the threat to our country has never been greater -- of someone like Trump getting reelected.”

NEED TO KNOW

Rhode Map wants to hear from you. If you've got a scoop or a link to an interesting news story in Rhode Island, e-mail us at [e-mail].

• A resident of an assisted living complex in Westerly Thursday morning shot three women, killing one, and then apparently fatally shot himself. Amanda Milkovits was in Westerly and a team of Globe reporters explain what we learned about the tragic incident.
• The Globe’s James Pindell has his review of last night’s presidential debate, offering strong grades for US Senators Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren.
• While impeachment again dominated the conversation in Washington, D.C. this week, Rhode Island’s congressional delegation also had major spending bills on their plate. Not to mention, a significant North American trade deal. Here's my weekly look at what US Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and US Representatives James Langevin and David Cicilline are working on.
• My colleague Priyanka Dayal McCluskey reports Partners HealthCare is planning an aggressive new expansion beyond its renowned hospitals, spending $400 million to open four outpatient surgery centers that will compete for patients in Boston’s suburbs.
• Congratulations to everyone who made Providence Monthly’s “Who to Watch” list.
• Question of the week: For those of us who might not have time to bake our own dessert over the holidays, where can you buy the best cake in Rhode Island? Email answers to [e-mail] and I’ll share the winner on Monday.

WHAT'S ON TAP TODAY

Each day, Rhode Map offers a cheat sheet breaking down what's happening in Rhode Island. Have an idea? E-mail us at [e-mail].

• The Warwick City Council has a special Friday meeting to vote on a proposed contract with the firefighters’ union.
• Rhode Island Complete Count Committee, the group tasked with making sure the state has an accurate census count next year, has two meetings today. At 8:30 a.m., a subcommittee will discuss various forms of outreach in the community. At 2:30 p.m., a separate subcommittee will focus on communications and grants.
• If you’re like me and you still need to finish Christmas shopping, check out the “Just in Time Art Sale” at the Roger Williams Park Botanical Center on Sunday.
• For Hip Hop heads, Rhode Island’s Sage Francis is performing at The Met in Pawtucket tonight.
• Enjoying Rhode Map? Do us a favor and encourage your friends to sign up here.

Thanks for reading. Send comments and suggestions to [e-mail], or follow me on Twitter @DanMcGowan. See you on Monday.

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