Steven Frias, a candidate for the Republican nomination for the District 15 seat in the state House of Representatives, says his campaign is about taking on a culture of “constant scandal” and “economic stagnation” and offering voters an alternative vision.

“I want to be a voice for reform, change, and making Rhode Island economically competitive,” he said. “I have a lot of knowledge about the issues … I have a pretty clear message, and some clear solutions.”

Frias, 44, has been active in politics since his days as a student at Brown University. In 2012, he was elected as state’s representative to the Republican National Committee.

Now, he hopes to take on Democratic House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello – who he calls “the face of the status quo in Rhode Island” – in what will be one of the “marquee” races on this year’s ballot.

Frias said he had not planned to be a candidate, but that he felt compelled to run as a result of multiple developments over the last year.

He pointed to Mattiello’s initial support for a new Pawtucket Red Sox stadium in Providence and backing of a reworked version of Gov. Gina Raimondo’s RhodeWorks plan, which includes new truck tolls.

Frias also said the speaker’s response to recent ethics controversies involving multiple lawmakers – former state Rep. Donald Lally, former House Finance Chairman Raymond Gallison, and state Rep. John Carnevale – played a major role in his decision to run.

“If you had told me a year ago I’d be running against Speaker Mattiello, I’d have dismissed it out of hand,” he said. “The straw that broke the camel’s back was John Carnevale … I decided I needed to run.”

Frias described himself and his campaign as “issue-oriented.” He said he views the concentration of power in the speaker’s office as an “overall problem” that must be addressed, and he advocates the adoption of a line-item veto for the governor and the establishment of term limits for lawmakers.

He also supports giving rank-and-file members of the General Assembly a greater say in committee assignments and chairmanships, and has called for the enforcement of open meeting law requirements to combat the “late-night horse trading” for which legislators have become known.

Frias said the lack of proper funding to repair and maintain roads and bridges throughout the state is the “legacy of poor fiscal management, run by the General Assembly, for generations.” He opposes the truck-tolling included in the RhodeWorks plan – which he believes will create obstacles to business growth and ultimately result in higher costs for consumers – and believes needed funding can be found within the current budget.

“Until the General Assembly’s budget is slashed dramatically, there’s money in the budget to address roads and bridges,” he said. “It’s about making them manage the money they have better.”

Frias additionally supports lowering Rhode Island’s tax rates below those of neighboring states, and adopting a mechanism like Proposition 2-1/2 in Massachusetts to control tax increases.

If he wins the GOP nomination in the Sept. 13 primary, Frias said he knows he will face a formidable opponent in Mattiello, whose campaign coffers are among the largest in the state.

The Republican hopeful has put $25,000 of his own money into the campaign, and as of earlier this month said he had knocked on more than 2,000 doors and spoken with nearly 1,000 voters.

“I’m working,” he said.

Frias said aside from his differences with Mattiello on specific issues and recent controversies, he believes the speaker has become disconnected from constituents.

“People want to hold him accountable,” he said. “If the speaker is defeated, the State House is turned upside down … it would bring change, guaranteed.”

Frias and Shawna Lawton, his opponent for the nomination, have sparred during the campaign.

Both have called for the elimination of the General Assembly’s controversial legislative grants program, but Lawton recently criticized Frias for having done so while serving on the board of directors for the Cranston Historical Society, which has received funding through the program.

Frias said he had “absolutely no involvement” in the society’s requests for legislative grants over the years, and that other board members had sought the funding after he made his objections to the program known.

He reiterated prior criticism of the grants program as being “not transparent,” arbitrary, and “used to promote the re-election of the politicians.” He did add, however, that the program should not deter members of the community from being involved with worthy organizations and non-profits.

Lawton also drew attention when she said earlier in the campaign that she would not debate Frias, and that her focus would instead be on campaigning in the community.

Frias, in responding to Lawton’s criticism of his legislative grants record, referenced the debate controversy: “I don’t put much weigh in criticism that’s made by candidates who won’t debate their opponents.”

Frias works as an attorney at the Boston law firm Keegan Werlin LLP. He specialized in public utility and administrative law, and previously served as executive counsel for the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission. He has been a columnist for the Cranston Herald and Providence Journal, and authored the book “Cranston and its Mayors: A History.”

Frias and his wife have three children.