Rhode Island Democratic Party

The Rhode Island Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Elizabeth Perik is the chair of the party. The party has dominated politics in Rhode Island for the past five decades.

Democratic Party dominance in Rhode Island

For nearly five decades, Rhode Island has been one of the United States' most solidly Democratic states. Since 1928, it has voted for the Republican presidential candidate only four times (Dwight Eisenhower in 1952 and 1956, Richard Nixon in 1972 and Ronald Reagan in 1984) and has elected only two Republicans (former Governor John H. Chafee and his son, Lincoln Chafee, though the younger Chafee became a Democrat during his later governorship) to the U.S. Senate since 1934. Rhode Island sent no Republicans to the U.S. House of Representatives from 1940 until 1980, when one Republican and one Democrat were elected. In 1980, Rhode Island was one of only six states to be won by incumbent president Jimmy Carter. However, Republican Edward DiPrete was elected governor in 1984 and Ronald Reagan narrowly carried the state in the 1984 presidential election. In the 2000 presidential election, Democrat Al Gore won 61% of the popular vote in the state.^[2]

An analysis of Gallup polling data shows the Democratic advantage over the Republican Party in Rhode Island voters plunged between 2008 and 2011.^[3] The Democratic advantage over the Republican Party in Rhode Island slid from 37 percentage points in 2008 to 16, according to Gallup. Rhode Island went from the most Democratic state in the country in 2008 to the 7th most Democratic in 2011.^[4]

Elected officials

U.S. Senate^[5]

Democrats have controlled both of Rhode Island's seats in the U.S. Senate since 2006:

U.S. House of Representatives^[6]

Out of the 2 seats Rhode Island is apportioned in the U.S. House of Representatives, both are held by Democrats.

Statewide officials^[7]

Democrats control all five of the elected statewide offices:

• Governor: Dan McKee
• Lieutenant Governor: Sabina Matos
• Secretary of State: Gregg Amore
• Attorney General: Peter Neronha
• General Treasurer: James Diossa

State Legislature^[8]

• President of the Senate: Dominick J. Ruggerio
  • Senate President Pro Tempore: Hanna Gallo
  • Senate Majority Leader: Michael McCaffrey
  • Senate Majority Whip: Maryellen Goodwin
  • Senate Deputy Majority Whip: Ana Quezada
• Speaker of the House: Joe Shekarchi
  • House Speaker Pro Tempore: Brian Patrick Kennedy
  • House Majority Leader: Christopher Blazejewski
  • House Majority Whip: Katherine Kazarian

Party leadership and staff

The leadership of the Rhode Island Democratic Party, as of 2024, is as follows:

State committee officers

• Chairman: Elizabeth Perik
• 1st Vice Chairman: James Diossa

National Committee Persons

• National Committeeman: Joseph R. Paolino Jr.
• National Committeewomen: Lisa Andoscia

Staff

• Data Director: Sam Bader
• Strategic Planning Consultant: Anthony Cherry
• Compliance Consultant: Susann Della Rosa

Previous election results

2020 general election^[9]

2018 general election^[10]

2016 general election^[11]

2014 general election^[12]

2008 general election^[13]

2004 general election^[14]

References

1. ^ Winger, Richard (28 March 2021). "March 2021 Ballot Access News Print Edition". Ballot Access News. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
2. ^ "Political parties in Rhode Island". Ballotpedia. Archived 2020-11-11 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-01-23.
3. ^ "Gallup: Democrats' dominance drops by half in Rhode Island". WPRI 12 Eyewitness News. Archived 2011-09-16 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2011-11-07.
4. ^ Gallup, Inc. (2018). "State Partisanship Shifts Toward Democratic Party in 2017". gallup.com. Archived 2018-11-05 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2018-11-05.
5. ^ "U.S. Senate: Senators of the 117th Congress". www.senate.gov. Archived 2021-01-23 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-01-23.
6. ^ "Representatives | house.gov". www.house.gov. Archived 2019-06-28 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-01-23.
7. ^ State of Rhode Island. "Rhode Island Elected Officials". RI.gov. Archived November 8, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
8. ^ "State of Rhode Island General Assembly". State of Rhode Island General Assembly. Archived 2021-01-14 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-01-23.
9. ^ Rhode Island Board of Elections (November 30, 2020). "2020 General Election Results". State of Rhode Island. Archived January 15, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
10. ^ Rhode Island Board of Elections (November 21, 2018). "2018 General Election Results". State of Rhode Island. Archived January 15, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
11. ^ Rhode Island Board of Elections (February 27, 2017). "2016 General Election Results". State of Rhode Island. Archived January 5, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
12. ^ Rhode Island Board of Elections (December 3, 2014). "2014 General Election Results". State of Rhode Island. Archived November 27, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
13. ^ Rhode Island Board of Elections (November 2008). "2008 General Election Results". State of Rhode Island. Archived 2020-10-20 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-01-23.
14. ^ Rhode Island Board of Elections (November 2004). "2004 General Election Results". State of Rhode Island. Archived 2020-10-21 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-01-23.

External links

• Rhode Island Democratic Party