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Politics of Rhode Island

January 01, 1970

United States presidential election results for Rhode Island[1]
Year Republican / Whig Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 199,922 38.61% 307,486 59.39% 10,349 2.00%
2016 180,543 38.90% 252,525 54.41% 31,076 6.70%
2012 157,204 35.24% 279,677 62.70% 9,168 2.06%
2008 165,391 35.06% 296,571 62.86% 9,804 2.08%
2004 169,046 38.67% 259,760 59.42% 8,328 1.91%
2000 130,555 31.91% 249,508 60.99% 29,049 7.10%
1996 104,683 26.82% 233,050 59.71% 52,551 13.46%
1992 131,601 29.02% 213,299 47.04% 108,578 23.94%
1988 177,761 43.93% 225,123 55.64% 1,736 0.43%
1984 212,080 51.66% 197,106 48.02% 1,306 0.32%
1980 154,793 37.20% 198,342 47.67% 62,937 15.13%
1976 181,249 44.08% 227,636 55.36% 2,285 0.56%
1972 220,383 53.00% 194,645 46.81% 780 0.19%
1968 122,359 31.78% 246,518 64.03% 16,123 4.19%
1964 74,615 19.13% 315,463 80.87% 13 0.00%
1960 147,502 36.37% 258,032 63.63% 1 0.00%
1956 225,819 58.23% 161,970 41.77% 2 0.00%
1952 210,935 50.89% 203,293 49.05% 270 0.07%
1948 135,787 41.44% 188,736 57.59% 3,179 0.97%
1944 123,487 41.26% 175,356 58.59% 433 0.14%
1940 138,653 43.17% 182,182 56.73% 313 0.10%
1936 125,031 40.18% 165,238 53.10% 20,909 6.72%
1932 115,266 43.31% 146,604 55.08% 4,300 1.62%
1928 117,522 49.55% 118,973 50.16% 699 0.29%
1924 125,286 59.63% 76,606 36.46% 8,223 3.91%
1920 107,463 63.97% 55,062 32.78% 5,456 3.25%
1916 44,858 51.08% 40,394 46.00% 2,564 2.92%
1912 27,703 35.56% 30,412 39.04% 19,779 25.39%
1908 43,942 60.76% 24,706 34.16% 3,669 5.07%
1904 41,605 60.60% 24,839 36.18% 2,212 3.22%
1900 33,784 59.74% 19,812 35.04% 2,952 5.22%
1896 37,437 68.33% 14,459 26.39% 2,889 5.27%
1892 26,975 50.71% 24,336 45.75% 1,885 3.54%
1888 21,969 53.88% 17,530 42.99% 1,276 3.13%
1884 19,030 58.07% 12,391 37.81% 1,350 4.12%
1880 18,195 62.24% 10,779 36.87% 261 0.89%
1876 15,787 59.29% 10,712 40.23% 128 0.48%
1872 13,665 71.94% 5,329 28.06% 0 0.00%
1868 12,993 66.49% 6,548 33.51% 0 0.00%
1864 13,962 62.24% 8,470 37.76% 0 0.00%
1860 12,244 61.37% 7,707 38.63% 0 0.00%
1856 11,467 57.85% 6,680 33.70% 1,675 8.45%
1852 7,626 44.85% 8,735 51.37% 644 3.79%
1848 6,779 60.77% 3,646 32.68% 730 6.54%
1844 7,322 59.55% 4,867 39.58% 107 0.87%
1840 5,278 61.22% 3,301 38.29% 42 0.49%
1836 2,710 47.76% 2,964 52.24% 0 0.00%

Since the Great Depression, Rhode Island politics have been dominated by the Rhode Island Democratic Party, and the state is considered part of the Democrats' "Blue Wall." Democrats have won all but four presidential elections since 1928, with the exceptions being 1952, 1956, 1972, and 1984.[2] The Rhode Island Republican Party, although virtually non-existent in the Rhode Island General Assembly, has remained competitive in gubernatorial elections, having won one as recently as 2006. Until 2014, Democrats had not won a gubernatorial election in the state since 1992, and it was not until 2018 that they won one by double digits. The Rhode Island General Assembly has continuously been under Democratic control since 1959.

Democrats hold all statewide and congressional seats including Governor Daniel McKee, Lt. Governor Sabina Matos, House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, Senate President Dominick Ruggerio, U.S. Representatives Gabe Amo and Seth Magaziner, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, Secretary of State Gregg Amore, General Treasurer James Diossa, and Senate Majority Leader Michael McCaffrey.

In a 2020 study, Rhode Island was ranked as the 19th easiest state for citizens to vote in.[3]

Party registration as of February 2021[4]
Party Total voters Percentage
Unaffiliated 348,569 43.18%
Democratic 346,320 42.90%
Republican 112,334 13.92%
Total 807,223 100%

History edit

Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists (1776–1820) edit

Rhode Island declared independence from the British Empire on May 4, 1776, two months before the U.S. Declaration of Independence was ratified.[5] However, despite this eagerness for independence, Rhode Island was also a stronghold for Anti-Federalism through the Country Party, which was widely popular among rural areas of Rhode Island and dominated the Rhode Island General Assembly from 1786 to 1790. The Country Party's dominance prevented ratification of the Federalist U.S. Constitution, and the state had even refused to send any delegation to the 1787 Constitutional Convention that wrote it. Father of the Constitution James Madison described Rhode Island as ruled by "wickedness and folly" in which "All sense of character as well as of right have been obliterated." After the insurance of the inclusion of a bill of rights, however, support grew for the Constitution in Rhode Island. Rhode Island became the last of the original 13 states to ratify the Constitution in 1790 by only 2 votes, after Gov. John Collins supported it and several remaining Anti-Federalists boycotted the ratifying convention.[6]

After ratification, many Anti-Federalists remained with the Country Party or joined Thomas Jefferson's Anti-Administration faction, which eventually became the Democratic-Republican Party. Rhode Island's first 2 governors after ratification (Anti-Federalist leader Arthur Fenner and Henry Smith) were both nominees of the Country Party.[7] Meanwhile, one of Rhode Island's first 2 senators, Joseph Stanton Jr., was a nominee of the Anti-Administration Party.[8]

Despite the Anti-Federalist views during the 1780s, the Federalist Party eventually became the dominant party in Rhode Island. Rhode Island gave its electoral votes in most Presidential elections to the Federalist candidate during this era. Meanwhile, Federalist Senator William Bradford became the 1st U.S. Senator from Rhode Island to serve as President pro tempore of the United States Senate during the 5th Congress.[9] While the Federalist Party is generally considered to have died after the War of 1812, Rhode Island still had Federalists in the U.S. Congress as late as 1820, and Federalist Governor William Jones was not defeated by a Democratic-Republican candidate until Nehemiah R. Knight was elected in 1816.[7]

Democratic-Republican Era (1820s) edit

In the 1820s, Rhode Island, like the rest of the union, was largely dominated by the Democratic-Republican Party. Knight, William C. Gibbs, and James Fenner (son of former Governor Arthur Fenner) were all elected Governors of Rhode Island during this time. After the party split into Andrew Jackson's Democratic Party and the opposition National Republican Party, Rhode Island was generally opposed to Jackson's policies and supportive of the Federalist-inspired policies of National Republican leaders John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay, supporting the former in the hotly contested Presidential elections of 1824[10] and 1828.[11] Many of these "Anti-Jacksonians" or "Adams Men", such as Asher Robbins and former Governor Nehemiah R. Knight,[12][13] represented the state in Congress before the formation of the Whig Party in 1833.

Whig Era (1833–1850) edit

Rhode Island Congressmen were almost exclusively Whigs during the 1830s and early 1840s. Whigs Lemuel H. Arnold, Elisha Harris, Henry B. Anthony, and William W. Hoppin were also Governors of Rhode Island during this time. However, Democrats John Brown Francis and William Sprague III served for most of the 1830s.[14] Rhode Island's electoral votes also backed the Presidential candidacies of Whig leaders William Henry Harrison in 1840,[15] Henry Clay in 1844,[16] and Zachary Taylor in 1848.[17]

Dorr Rebellion (1840–1842) edit

Main article: Dorr Rebellion

In 1841, Rhode Island was the last state to still require ownership of property to vote in its elections, as it was still governed by the provisions of its original colonial charter of 1663, which restricted voting rights to landowning white men and their eldest sons. About 60% of Rhode Island adult men were ineligible to vote due to these restrictions by 1840. Political activist Thomas Wilson Dorr was the leader of a group known as the Rhode Island Suffrage Association (or "Dorrites")[18] that attempted to amend or replace the charter with a new constitution extending suffrage to all white men, but efforts to do so consistently failed in the Rhode Island General Assembly.[19]

After failed attempts to change the system from within, the Dorrites held a convention for the newly formed "People's Party", which drafted a new constitution that enfranchised all white men after one year's residence.[20] Meanwhile, General Assembly members who supported the charter, known as "Charterites" or the "Law and Order Party", drafted a constitution that made concessions to the People's Party, but two referendums held later that year determined that a majority of voters approved of the People's Party constitution, but disapproved of the Law and Order Party's constitution by a narrow margin.[18]

However, Governor Samuel Ward King, a Charterite, refused to recognize the results of the referendums, resulting in the holding of two elections that April: one set up by the People's Party, which elected Dorr as governor, and another set up by the Law and Order Party, which re-elected King.[18] King and Dorr essentially served as governors concurrently after this election. King declared martial law and attempted to persuade U.S. President John Tyler to send federal soldiers to Rhode Island to resolve the issue, but Tyler, feeling that the threat of violence was "hourly diminishing", refused.[19] Without the threat of federal interference, Dorr's government mounted an attack upon the Providence Arsenal on May 19, 1842. Charterite defenders, including Dorr's own father and uncle, suppressed the attack and the Dorrites retreated to the village of Chepachet to hold another People's Convention. Charterites cut off the retreat in the city of Woonsocket, causing Dorr's government to fall.[20]

Despite their victory, the Charterite General Assembly ultimately drafted and adopted the current Rhode Island Constitution in September 1842, which extended voting to all free men (of any race) who owned property or could pay a $1 poll tax. Although the former members of the People's Party attempted to oppose the Law and Order Party's candidates in the 1843 elections, the Law and Order Party took all major offices in these elections, and their new constitution was adopted in May. Encouraged by the new constitution's expanded suffrage, Dorr returned to the state, but was captured by King and tried and convicted of treason. However, public protests resulted in Dorr's pardon by Governor James Fenner in 1845.[19]

Law and Order Party and Whig Party co-dominance (1840s) edit

After the Dorr Rebellion ended, the Law and Order Party shared power with the Whigs for the remainder of the 1840s, until the former dissolved and the latter fell from power in Rhode Island. The Law and Order Party's James Fenner was the first governor elected under the Rhode Island Constitution. Fenner had previously served as governor on two other occasions as a member of the Democratic-Republican Party. Byron Diman also represented the Law and Order Party as governor.[21]

In 1843, Rhode Island was given a 2nd Congressional district. The Law and Order Party's Elisha R. Potter was the first Congressman from this district. The 2nd district also elected Benjamin Babock Thurston to Congress in 1847; Thurston was the first Democrat elected to Congress from Rhode Island.[22]

In the late 1840s and early 1850s, the nationally declining Whig Party became diminished in Rhode Island, while the Law and Order Party dissolved, and most of its members returned to their pre-Dorr Rebellion allegiances to the Whigs or Democrats.

Republican Era (1850s–1930s) edit

After the demise of the Rhode Island Whigs, the Know Nothing and Democratic Parties were briefly co-dominant parties in Rhode Island. From 1851 to 1853, Rhode Island had an all-Democrat set of executive offices for the first time, led by Governor Philip Allen. In the same year, Charles Tillinghast James became Rhode Island's first Democratic Senator. Meanwhile, Benjamin Babock Thurston returned to his Congressional seat as a Know-Nothing, and William W. Hoppin was Rhode Island's only Know-Nothing governor in 1854, serving in the office until 1856.

In the late 1850s, however, much of the remaining Know-Nothings and Whigs nationally were absorbed by the Republican Party,[23] which would become the dominant party in Rhode Island until the Great Depression of the 1930s. Republican dominance in Rhode Island began with the elections of several Republicans to major offices in 1857, such as Governor Elisha Dyer,[24] and Sen. James F. Simmons.[25] The first 14 Republican Party Presidential candidates, beginning with John C. Frémont in 1856, won Rhode Island's electoral votes during this era.[26]

The Constitutional Union Party became strong in Rhode Island during the early 1860s. Across the country, many conservative former Whigs and Know-Nothings, unsatisfied with the secessionists in the national Democratic Party, became Unionists, and nominated Unionist candidates at their state conventions.[27] Both Rhode Island representatives to the 37th U.S. House of Representatives were Unionists.[22]

During the American Civil War, Rhode Island was the first state to respond to President Abraham Lincoln's 1861 request for troops from the individual Union states. Governor William Sprague IV (nephew of former Governor William Sprague III) believed that the war would be over rather quickly and easily in the Union's favor, and chose to lead the Rhode Island brigade to Virginia to oversee what he expected to be a Union victory.[28] There, he participated in the First Battle of Bull Run and, despite the Confederate victory, was offered a commission as Brigadier General, which he refused, opting to remain Governor of Rhode Island. Sprague went on to serve 2 six-year terms as a Senator from Rhode Island after retiring from the Governor's post in 1863.[28] Burnside also became a Governor of Rhode Island from 1866 to 1869, and then replaced Sprague in the U.S. Senate in 1875, serving there until his death in 1881.[29]

From 1863 to 1887, every governor of and U.S. Congressman from Rhode Island was a member of the Republican Party.[21] During this time, Senator Henry B. Anthony served as President pro tempore of the United States Senate,[30] the 2nd Rhode Island Senator to do so, after William Bradford in 1797.[9] Also during this time, Governor Henry Lippitt became the first in a familial line of several prominent Rhode Island politicians, dating to Governor Lincoln Chafee, and including one of Lippitt's sons, Sen. Henry F. Lippitt, who was a brother-in-law of U.S. president and Chief Justice William Howard Taft.[31] Also, the administration of three-term Governor Alfred H. Littlefield officially established the current boundary line of Rhode Island and Massachusetts, and authorized the establishment of the state's first industrial school for impoverished children, in an effort to update the state's education system to keep in time with manufacturing developments.[32]

In 1887, some Democratic power returned when prominent Democratic businessman John W. Davis was elected governor over incumbent Republican George P. Wetmore, with whom many in both parties were dissatisfied.[33] During Davis' first one-year term, a women's suffrage amendment to the State Constitution was passed by the state legislature but not accepted by the state's male voters in an April 6, 1887 referendum.[34] Also during Davis' first term, the current boundary line with Connecticut was established, revised election laws were passed which made voter fraud more difficult, and orphanages were regulated by the state. However, Davis was defeated in his 1888 and 1889 gubernatorial bids, but Davis returned to the governorship for another one-year term in 1890.[33] Another popular Democrat during Rhode Island's Republican Era was Lucius F.C. Garvin, a longtime General Assembly member from Cumberland and eventual governor, serving two one-year terms. However, a Republican-controlled legislature prevented most of Garvin's reform-minded programs from passing.[35] Garvin was considered for the Democratic nomination for U.S. president in 1904.[36]

In the late 19th century and early 20th century, there was much controversy in the state political system surrounding Republican leader and lobbyist Charles R. Brayton, who generally supported the interests of Republican senators Henry B. Anthony and Nelson W. Aldrich. As both a Civil War veteran and a member of the state's "economic elite", Brayton was easily supported by the majority of Rhode Islanders, and is credited with helping many candidates into office, including Sen. Aldrich, who would later become one of the most prominent U.S. Senators.[37] Brayton rose to political prominence in Rhode Island in the 1890s as a chairman of the Republican State Committee, and eventually as a member of the Republican National Committee. Brayton campaigned heavily for the passage of laws shifting gubernatorial powers, including almost all appointment powers, to the State Senate, which was reliably a Republican majority. The "Brayton Act" was a major hindrance to Democratic reformers such as Governor Garvin after its passage, and would continue to hinder gubernatorial power until Democrats gained a State Senate majority in 1935.[38] Brayton also had a political rivalry with James H. Higgins, another Democratic governor during Rhode Island's Republican Era. Higgins greatly opposed Brayton's lobbying, claiming Brayton was paid by railroad and telephone companies to lobby their special interests.[39] Brayton did not deny this, but said that he never lobbied against the interests of the Republican Party to favor a corporation's interest.[40]

In 1912, President Taft's reelection campaign was the first Republican campaign to not receive Rhode Island's electoral votes, despite the fact that he was a 5th cousin of former Governor Royal C. Taft. Democrat Woodrow Wilson, who won the election, was the first Democrat to receive Rhode Island's electoral votes since Franklin Pierce in 1852, before the founding of the Republican Party.

Also in 1912, the Republican ticket for executive offices, led by Aram J. Pothier, who was also the first Rhode Island governor of foreign birth (born in Quebec), won the first 2-year executive terms, having previously served four 1-year terms.[41]

Upon the beginning of the Great Depression in 1929, Republican Norman S. Case was Governor of Rhode Island. Although he was reelected in 1930, the Depression worsened and Republican popularity lessened, and Theodore F. Green summarily defeated Case in 1932. The Depression is generally cited as the primary reason for the fall of Republicans in Rhode Island, transitioning to a period of Democratic dominance which continues today.

Democratic Era (1930s–present) edit

In the 1932 and 1934 elections, Democrats officially swept Republicans out of power in the state. Theodore F. Green easily defeated Republican Governor Norman S. Case in the 1932 gubernatorial election.[42] Democrat Peter G. Gerry, who served 2 terms in the U.S. Senate before the Depression, reclaimed his former seat by defeating incumbent Republican Senator Felix Hebert.[43] In the State Senate elections in 1934, 2 seats were contested, both held by Republicans, but Democratic victories in these districts would create a Democratic Party majority in the Senate. Lt. Gov. Robert Quinn, assigned to preside over seating the newly elected State Senators, refused to seat the Republicans who had claimed re-election to those two seats. Green demanded a recount on January 1, 1935, and the recount determined that the Democratic candidates in both districts had won by narrow margins. This has become known as the "Bloodless Revolution", as Republicans have struggled to regain power in Rhode Island since.[44]

Republicans remained in some power throughout the 1930s, as Charles Risk served the 1st Congressional district in the 74th and 76th Congresses.[45] In 1938, many Republicans, led by gubernatorial candidate William Henry Vanderbilt III, was elected into office, including retaking control of both houses of the General Assembly.[44] However, in 1939, Vanderbilt's support was seriously weakened by a wire-tapping scandal involving a private detective he had hired to search for election fraud.[46] The scandal cost him his re-election chances, and many Republicans elected in 1938 were defeated by Democratic challengers in 1940;[47][48][49] Democrats also regained a majority in both houses of the General Assembly, and have not lost it since.[44]

Meanwhile, many prominent Rhode Island Democrats also became nationally prominent under Democratic Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman. The most notable of these was former Governor Green, who successfully ran for Senate in 1936, and served there until 1960, finally retiring in ill health at age 93, the oldest Congressman in history at the time.[50] Green was known as "the President's man", as a strong supporter of Democratic Presidents, and one of Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower's strongest Democratic supporters. Green was also a civil rights leader, working closely with then–Majority Leader Lyndon B. Johnson to pass voting rights bills, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1957. The state's largest airport is named T.F. Green Airport after him.

J. Howard McGrath, first a governor after defeating incumbent Vanderbilt in 1940, also went on to serve for many years in a federal capacity. McGrath was appointed U.S. Solicitor General by Truman in October 1945, and served there for one year, before resigning to become a senator in the 80th Congress, which had Republican majorities in both houses. However, he chaired the U.S. Senate Committee on the District of Columbia at the beginning of the Democrat-ruled 81st Congress. McGrath was also chairman of the Democratic National Committee during this time, allowing for racial integration of the Democrats' national headquarters and successfully managing President Truman's 1948 reelection campaign. For this, McGrath was promoted to United States Attorney General, until his resignation in 1952, after refusing to be investigated after suspected corruption.[51][52]

With McGrath's resignation to become Solicitor-General, then–Lt. Gov. John O. Pastore became the first Italian-American governor in U.S. history, and would later become the first Italian-American U.S. Senator. As governor, Pastore enacted Rhode Island's first sales taxes, corporate income taxes, and primary election laws. Pastore retired from his post as governor upon winning a special election to replace McGrath in the U.S. Senate, where Pastore would serve until 1976, where he was famously involved in a 1969 Senate hearing on the funding of PBS in which famous public TV host Fred Rogers testified successfully against President Richard Nixon's proposed PBS funding cuts.

McGrath and Pastore were two of many Democrats who served lengthy amounts of time in the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives during their time. Between 1941 and 1976, Rhode Island sent only 11 different people to the U.S. Congress, all of them Democrats, including Pastore, McGrath, and Green. Other notables included: 12-term Rep. Aime Forand, who proposed the first bill for the program that eventually became Medicare; Rep. John E. Fogarty, who became a national political leader on medical research as a longtime member of the House Appropriations Committee; 14-term Rep. Fernand St. Germain, Rep. Forand's successor, who was involved in passing legislation that would ultimately be blamed for the savings and loan crisis of the 1980s–1990s. Back in Rhode Island itself, four-term Governor J. Joseph Garrahy became iconic for his handling of the Blizzard of 1978, during which Governor "Joe" kept a calm, casual, comforting demeanor while living at his State House office for about a week to manage the crisis and maintain order. Perhaps the most notable member of the Democratic dynasty of the 1940s–1970s, though, was Sen. Claiborne Pell.

Best known as the father of Pell Grants, Claiborne Pell was elected to the U.S. Senate after a lengthy career as a U.S. Department of State diplomat, during which time he had been involved in the drafting of the United Nations Charter. Pell was first elected in 1960 upon the retirement of T. F. Green, after defeating both former Gov. Dennis J. Roberts and former U.S. Attorney General J. Howard McGrath in the Democratic primary election. Senator Pell was considered eccentric by D.C. politicians due to his insistence on using only public transportation and low-cost automobiles, and supposed paranormal beliefs, and was often considered the least electable politician in Washington; however, Rhode Island would ultimately reelect him to the Senate five times. Sen. Pell is best remembered as the creator of "Basic Educational Opportunity Grants" in 1973 (now known as Pell Grants) which provide financial aid to American university students. Pell was also largely responsible for the creation of the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, and was chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations for eight years later in his tenure. Having served for 36 years upon his retirement, Claiborne Pell is the longest-serving U.S. Senator in Rhode Island history.

Return of Republicans and rise of third parties (1976–present) edit

Main articles: Rhode Island elections, 2014; United States House of Representatives elections in Rhode Island, 2012; United States presidential election in Rhode Island, 2012; and United States Senate election in Rhode Island, 2012

In his 36 years in the Senate, Claiborne Pell served alongside only two other U.S. Senators from Rhode Island: John Pastore, and John Chafee, the first Republican U.S. Senator from Rhode Island in 40 years, and a prominent Rockefeller Republican. Chafee had previously served three two-year terms as governor in the 1960s; his administration was celebrated for championing public transportation and environmental conservation, but ended in a surprise reelection loss to Democrat Frank Licht after Chafee both reversed his anti-income tax stance and had to lessen his campaign efforts due to family matters. Chafee first ran for the U.S. Senate as a challenger Sen. Claiborne Pell in 1972, but Pell held the seat by a result of 54–46%. However, Chafee ran again in 1976 to replace the retiring Sen. John O. Pastore and defeated Democrat Richard Lorber 58–42%. Sen. Chafee broke with his own party on many issues, most notably on environmental issues, which Chafee made his main concern as a senator. Chafee authored the Coastal Barrier Resources Act that designated protected coastal areas that became ineligible to government development and was also instrumental to the passages of the Superfund program, the Clean Water Act and the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, and later chaired the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Chafee was described as a moderate, but was among the most liberal U.S. Senators on social issues during his time. Upon his death in October 1999, Chafee was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton, and his son Lincoln Chafee was appointed to replace his father; the elder Chafee had already announced his plans to retire at the end of his term and the younger Chafee had already announced his plans to run to succeed him.

Meanwhile, the Chafees' tenure in the U.S. Senate corresponded to some return to Republicans holding major state offices in Rhode Island, although the Democrats always held their majority in both houses of the General Assembly. In 1984, Republican Edward DiPrete was elected after Governor Garrahy's retirement and went on to serve 3 terms as governor despite the Democrats consistently holding over 85% of Assembly seats. However, DiPrete was widely suspected of corruption (and would later do time in prison for bribery, extortion, and racketeering), and ultimately lost in a landslide to Democrat Bruce Sundlun in 1990, the third time that Sundlun had challenged the incumbent DiPrete. Sundlun immediately closed 45 banks and credit unions due to the collapse of the RI Share and Deposit Indemnity Corporation (RISDIC) under DiPrete. Sundlun became a champion of improving infrastructure and tourism, working across the aisle with controversial Providence Mayor Buddy Cianci (who would also later do time in prison for "racketeering conspiracy", i.e. running the city of Providence as a criminal enterprise) to support the building of or improvement of key infrastructure such as the Rhode Island Convention Center, Quonset Air Museum, T.F. Green Airport, Providence Place Mall, and more. The work of the Cianci and Sundlun administrations launched what became known as the city of Providence's "Renaissance" period in which infrastructure, the arts, and the economy were all booming. Sundlun was the last Rhode Island governor to be elected to 2-year terms; beginning in 1994, governors (and all other state offices) would be elected for 4-year terms and limited to two such terms. In a surprising upset, Gov. Sundlun lost the 1994 Democratic primary to strongly liberal State Senator Myrth York, who was then defeated by Republican Lincoln Almond by a slim margin of 47–44% in the general election (third-party activist Robert J. Healey won 9%). Beginning with York's loss in 1994, Democrats would go on to lose five consecutive gubernatorial elections, despite maintaining their supermajorities in both houses of the General Assembly and Rhode Island's 4 electoral votes always going to Democratic candidates in Presidential election years during those 20 years.

Between Governor Almond and his successor, Gov. Donald Carcieri, Republicans held the Rhode Island governorship for the longest period of time (16 years) since the 19th century. Gov. Almond prioritized health care, making significant expansions to the public children's health care program Rite Care and making Rhode Island among the states with the highest percentage of people having health insurance. Almond was also instrumental in the creation of the Community College of Rhode Island's Newport campus funded by a bond referendum passed with the Governor's support in 2000, and made major investments to improve and modernize the University of Rhode Island, his alma mater. When Almond was term-limited in 2002, conservative businessman Donald Carcieri defeated party-endorsed Jim Bennett in the Republican primary and then defeated 3rd-time Democratic nominee Myrth York to become Almond's successor, and was thrust into the national spotlight early in his term by The Station nightclub fire of February 2003. Carcieri's governorship was characterized by conflicts with the General Assembly and organized labor, as Carcieri often attacked the state government's expansive welfare programs and history of corruption but could do little to enact changes due to the Democrat-controlled Assembly's ability to override his vetoes. The Assembly also overrode Carcieri's vetoes of bills to legalize medical marijuana and make progress on LGBT civil rights issues. The latter position was particularly controversial with Rhode Islanders; the year of Carcieri's first election, 2002, was also the year that Providence elected the first openly homosexual mayor of a U.S. state capital, David Cicilline, in a landslide election, and Carcieri won reelection in 2006 against Lt. Gov. Charles J. Fogarty by only 2 percentage points.

Also in 2006, Sen. Lincoln Chafee lost the seat that had been held by him or his father for 30 years. Former State Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse defeated Chafee by a margin of 53.5–46.5% in an election that was part of a national swing to a Democratic majority in both houses of the U.S. Congress. Chafee, one of the most left-of-center Senators at the time, later admitted that his loss to Whitehouse was good for the country since it helped give the majority to the Democrats,[53] and Chafee later disaffiliated from the Republican Party and announced a run for governor for 2010.

In the 2010 gubernatorial election, there were four major candidates: State Treasurer Frank T. Caprio for the Democrats, John Robitaille for the Republicans, former Sen. Lincoln Chafee as an independent, and businessman Ken Block, who had founded the Moderate Party of Rhode Island in 2009 to advocate for meaningful political, economic, and educational reform. The Moderate Party's founding involved a court battle for official recognition that ended in the overturning of several laws that made it much easier for third-party and independent candidates to gain ballot access in elections beginning in 2010. The four-way race gained international attention when President Barack Obama, to whom Chafee has been a political ally, refused to endorse a candidate, and Caprio publicly told the President of the United States to "take his endorsement and really shove it."[citation needed] Caprio's remark hurt his campaign such that, despite being a Democrat in a heavily Democratic state, he ultimately placed third with just 23% of the vote.[citation needed] Chafee won the race with 36%, just about 2.5 percentage points more than Robitaille, while Block earned 6.5%, enough to gain major party status for the Moderate Party. Chafee became Rhode Island's first independent governor since the 18th century. He also immediately proved to be a very unpopular governor, likely owing to the fact that 64% of Rhode Islanders voted for someone else. Chafee's approval ratings fell further when he proposed a variety of tax increases, and he stirred up national controversy when he stood by his decision to refer to the annual State House Christmas tree as a "Holiday Tree" in the name of separation of church and state. Among Gov. Chafee's accomplishments was passing LGBT marriage equality.

Also in 2010, Providence Mayor David Cicilline won the District 1 House of Representatives seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy, and fellow Democrat Angel Taveras won the election to succeed Cicilline as Mayor in a landslide. Shortly after taking office in 2011, Taveras discovered that he had inherited over $180 million in debt that Cicilline had largely hidden from the public through what was described by Providence City Council Finance Chairman John Igliozzi as "illusory revenue, borrowing and other tricks."[54] Cicilline's approval ratings just a few months after winning federal office went below 20% as the vast majority of voters blamed Cicilline for the city's financial woes,[54] which ultimately required controversial austerity-like measures to prevent the city of Providence from declaring bankruptcy. Rep. Cicilline was also accused by District 2 Rep. James Langevin of gerrymandering by tampering with the regular redrawing of district lines to ensure his own reelection in 2012, which, despite the controversies, Cicilline did win with 53% of the vote.

In 2014, Governor Chafee, having officially joined the Democratic Party in 2013 and facing massive unpopularity and likely primary challengers, chose not to run for reelection. The primaries in both parties were hotly contested: on the Democratic side, venture capitalist and State Treasurer Gina Raimondo, perceived as a fiscally center-right frontrunner, defeated Providence Mayor Angel Taveras and Clay Pell (grandson of the late Sen. Pell) after unions and other liberals divided almost evenly between the 2 more liberal challengers, while on the Republican side, Moderate Party founder Ken Block left his own party to run as a Republican, only to be defeated in the primary by conservative Cranston Mayor Allan Fung. Without Block, the Moderate Party had nominated James Spooner for governor, but when he became severely ill, Robert J. Healey, who had previously run for governor or lieutenant governor 6 times on the platform of his own "Cool Moose Party," was announced as the substitute nominee with less than 2 months until election day. Spending less than $40 in total and campaigning mostly through social media, a blog, and organizing charity fundraisers, Healey's "guerrilla campaign" stunned pundits and pollsters by winning 22% of the vote and even winning pluralities in a few towns. Ultimately, however, Raimondo defeated Fung to become Rhode Island's first female governor by a margin of 40–36%.

Meanwhile, the election to replace Taveras as Mayor of Providence saw former Mayor and convicted felon Buddy Cianci attempt to return to politics. The race was seen by many as a referendum on Cianci's legacy,[55] with supporters pointing to the improved infrastructure, city parks, arts scene, and other gains associated with the city's "Renaissance" during Cianci's time as Mayor, while detractors pointed to Cianci's history of violent, criminal behavior and frank, less-than-remorseful admissions to using "public power for personal reasons."[56] In a rare move into municipal politics, President Obama publicly endorsed Cianci's little-known Democratic challenger, Jorge Elorza, as did Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, who, as a U.S. Attorney, oversaw the investigation that led to Cianci's racketeering charges and eventual conviction in 2002. Even the Republican nominee for Mayor, Dan Harrop, urged citizens to vote for his Democratic opponent Elorza, citing concerns that Cianci would not have the city's best interests at heart.[56][55] Ultimately, Elorza proved victorious by a margin of 53–44% over Cianci. It was the first election that Cianci has ever lost.[55]

Joe Biden continued the Democratic trend in Rhode Island, carrying the state by 20.8 points, or 107,564 votes.[57] Republican Donald Trump carried the crucial Catholic vote (50% to Biden's 49%), who comprised 52% of the electorate, the most of any state.[58] Catholics were once a reliable Democratic constituency, but have become competitive in recent elections due to their social conservatism.[59]

Issues edit

Rhode Island has comprehensive health insurance for low-income children, and a large social safety net. Many urban areas still have a high rate of children in poverty. Due to an influx of residents from Boston, Massachusetts, increasing housing costs have resulted in more homeless in Rhode Island.

Minor parties edit

Moderate Party edit

Main article: Moderate Party of Rhode Island

The Moderate Party of Rhode Island is the third-largest contemporary political party in the U.S. state of Rhode Island, after the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The Moderate Party of Rhode Island gained official party status and ballot access via a federal lawsuit and the gathering of 34,000 signatures on August 18, 2009.

In August 2018, Tony Jones was appointed to the North Kingstown School Committee making him the first-ever Moderate in public office.[60]

Constitution Party edit

Main article: Constitution Party (United States)

Cool Moose Party edit

Main article: Cool Moose Party

Green parties edit

Main article: Green Party of Rhode Island

Libertarian Party edit

Main article: Libertarian Party of Rhode Island

Natural Law Party edit

Main article: Natural Law Party (United States)

Reform Party edit

Main article: Reform Party of the United States of America

Socialist Party edit

Main article: Socialist Party USA

Defunct parties edit

Country Party edit

Main article: Country Party (Rhode Island)

Federalist Party edit

Main article: Federalist Party

Democratic-Republican Party edit

Main article: Democratic-Republican Party

People's Party edit

A party briefly created in the Rhode Island Voting Crisis, leading to the Dorr Rebellion. The party was founded by Thomas Dorr, as an alternative to the old-guard legislature which enforced strict voting restrictions.

Law and Order Party edit

Main article: Law and Order Party of Rhode Island

Whig Party edit

Main article: Whig Party (United States)

Native American Party ("Know Nothings") edit

Main article: Know Nothing

Constitutional Union Party ("Unionists") edit

Main article: Constitutional Union Party (United States)

Federal representation edit

Main article: Rhode Island's congressional districts

Rhode Island currently has 2 House districts In the 118th Congress, both of Rhode Island's seats are held by Democrats There are as follows:

Rhode Island's two United States Senators are Democrats Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, serving since 1997 and 2007, respectively.

Rhode Island is part of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island in the federal judiciary. The district's cases are appealed to the Boston-based United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Leip, David. "Presidential General Election Results Comparison – Rhode Island". US Election Atlas. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  2. ^ "Rhode Island Presidential Election Voting History - 270toWin".
  3. ^ J. Pomante II, Michael; Li, Quan (December 15, 2020). "Cost of Voting in the American States: 2020". Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy. 19 (4): 503–509. doi:10.1089/elj.2020.0666. S2CID 225139517.
  4. ^ https://datahub.sos.ri.gov/RegisteredVoter.aspx
  5. ^ "Rhode Island declares independence". This Day in History. A&E Television Networks, LLC. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  6. ^ "The 13th State: Rhode Island". Ratification of the U.S. Constitution. LibGuides at Rhode Island College. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  7. ^ a b "List of Governors". A guide to the state of Rhode Island. TheUS50.com. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  8. ^ "Joseph IV STANTON". Infoplease. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  9. ^ a b "William BRADFORD". Infoplease.com. Pearson Education. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
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  11. ^ "1828 Presidential General Election Results - Rhode Island". David Leip. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  12. ^ "ROBBINS, Asher - Biographical Information". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  13. ^ "KNIGHT, Nehemiah Rice". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  14. ^ "Rhode Island Governors". Rhode Island Lost Souls Genealogy Project. Diane Siniard. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  15. ^ "1840 Presidential General Election Results - Rhode Island". David Leip. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  16. ^ "1844 Presidential General Election Results - Rhode Island". David Leip. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  17. ^ "1848 Presidential General Election Results - Rhode Island". David Leip. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  18. ^ a b c "Dorr, Thomas Wilson". Infoplease. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  19. ^ a b c . Searching Historical Horizons. Archived from the original on November 22, 2012. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  20. ^ a b "Voting Rights and the Dorr Rebellion". Woonsocket. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  21. ^ a b "Rhode Island Governors 1640 - Present". The Office of the Secretary of State of Rhode Island. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  22. ^ a b "Congressional Biographical Directory". Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  23. ^ "Political Party Timeline: 1836-64". The American Experience. WGBH Education Foundation. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
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  25. ^ "RI US Senate Race - Jan 09, 1857". Our Campaigns. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  26. ^ Leip, Dave. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  27. ^ "What Is the Constitutional Union Party?". wiseGEEK. Conjecture Corporation. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  28. ^ a b "SPRAGUE, William". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  29. ^ "Ambrose Everett BURNSIDE". Infoplease. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  30. ^ "ANTHONY, Henry Bowen". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
  31. ^ Bennett, Laurie. "The Chafees, the Tafts and the family business". Muckety. Muckety LLC. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
  32. ^ "Alfred Henry Littlefield". National Governors Association. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
  33. ^ a b "John William Davis". National Governors Association. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
  34. ^ Manning, Lucinda. "Records of the League of Women Voters of Rhode Island". Rhode Island Historical Society - Manuscripts Division. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
  35. ^ "Governor Lucius F.C. Garvin, M.D., Inducted 2008". Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame. Media Conscious. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
  36. ^ "GARVIN FOR PRESIDENCY; Boom for Rhode Island's Democratic Governor Is Started" (PDF). The New York Times. December 12, 1903. p. 1.
  37. ^ D'Amato, Don (November 9, 2011). "Warwick's powerful politicians: Charles R. Brayton, the "blind" boss". Warwick Beacon. Beacon Communications. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  38. ^ "Chapter VII: Boom, Bust, and War, 1900–1945". Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  39. ^ "SHERIFF DEFIES GOVERNOR'S ORDER; White Will Not Oust Gen. Brayton, and Says Higgins Is Insolent. A QUESTION OF LOBBYING; Rhode Island Executive Declares the General Is Notoriously Corrupt" (PDF). The New York Times. March 10, 1907. p. 11. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  40. ^ "BRAYTON, THE BLIND BOSS OF RHODE ISLAND; Downfall of Republican Leader in Smallest New England State Ends a Picturesque Personality. In Ways That Resemble Those for Which "Old Hickory" Was Famous He Has Been Sustained" (PDF). The New York Times. July 14, 1907. p. 3. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  41. ^ "Aram Pothier". National Governors Association. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  42. ^ "RI Governor Race - Nov 08, 1932". Our Campaigns. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  43. ^ "RI US Senate Race - Nov 06, 1934". Our Campaigns. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  44. ^ a b c Nesi, Ted. . WPRI.com. Archived from the original on January 7, 2013. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  45. ^ "RISK, Charles Francis - Biographical Information". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  46. ^ "Governor of Rhode Island testifies before Senate Wire Tapping committee. Washington, D.C., May 28". Library of Congress. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  47. ^ "RI District 01 Race - Nov 05, 1940". Our Campaigns. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  48. ^ "RI District 02 Race - Nov 05, 1940". Our Campaigns. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  49. ^ "RI US Senate Race - Nov 05, 1940". Our Campaigns. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  50. ^ "GREEN, Theodore Francis". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  51. ^ "McGRATH, James Howard". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  52. ^ Marcus, Truman and the Steel Seizure Case: The Limits of Presidential Power, 1977, pp. 35–36.
  53. ^ Antle III, W. James (August 27, 2007). "A Laffey Matter". The American Spectator. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  54. ^ a b Isenstadt, Alex (March 29, 2011). "Rhode Island's David Cicilline under fire". POLITICO.com. POLITICO LLC. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  55. ^ a b c Herbst-Bayliss, Svea (November 4, 2014). "Buddy Cianci loses bid to govern Providence, R.I., for a third time". Reuters. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
  56. ^ a b Smith, Michelle R. (October 5, 2014). "Ex-Mayor Cianci's legacy debated amid comeback bid". Washington Times. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
  57. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  58. ^ "Rhode Island Voter Surveys: How Different Groups Voted". The New York Times. November 3, 2020. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  59. ^ Prendergast, William B. (1999). The Catholic Voter in American Politics. Washington DC: Georgetown University Press. pp. 186, 191–193.
  60. ^ . RI onPolitix. LIN Media. Archived from the original on November 12, 2012. Retrieved October 14, 2012.

January 01, 1970
politics, rhode, island, this, article, uses, bare, urls, which, uninformative, vulnerable, link, please, consider, converting, them, full, citations, ensure, article, remains, verifiable, maintains, consistent, citation, style, several, templates, tools, avai. This article uses bare URLs which are uninformative and vulnerable to link rot Please consider converting them to full citations to ensure the article remains verifiable and maintains a consistent citation style Several templates and tools are available to assist in formatting such as reFill documentation and Citation bot documentation September 2022 Learn how and when to remove this message United States presidential election results for Rhode Island 1 Year Republican Whig Democratic Third party No No No 2020 199 922 38 61 307 486 59 39 10 349 2 00 2016 180 543 38 90 252 525 54 41 31 076 6 70 2012 157 204 35 24 279 677 62 70 9 168 2 06 2008 165 391 35 06 296 571 62 86 9 804 2 08 2004 169 046 38 67 259 760 59 42 8 328 1 91 2000 130 555 31 91 249 508 60 99 29 049 7 10 1996 104 683 26 82 233 050 59 71 52 551 13 46 1992 131 601 29 02 213 299 47 04 108 578 23 94 1988 177 761 43 93 225 123 55 64 1 736 0 43 1984 212 080 51 66 197 106 48 02 1 306 0 32 1980 154 793 37 20 198 342 47 67 62 937 15 13 1976 181 249 44 08 227 636 55 36 2 285 0 56 1972 220 383 53 00 194 645 46 81 780 0 19 1968 122 359 31 78 246 518 64 03 16 123 4 19 1964 74 615 19 13 315 463 80 87 13 0 00 1960 147 502 36 37 258 032 63 63 1 0 00 1956 225 819 58 23 161 970 41 77 2 0 00 1952 210 935 50 89 203 293 49 05 270 0 07 1948 135 787 41 44 188 736 57 59 3 179 0 97 1944 123 487 41 26 175 356 58 59 433 0 14 1940 138 653 43 17 182 182 56 73 313 0 10 1936 125 031 40 18 165 238 53 10 20 909 6 72 1932 115 266 43 31 146 604 55 08 4 300 1 62 1928 117 522 49 55 118 973 50 16 699 0 29 1924 125 286 59 63 76 606 36 46 8 223 3 91 1920 107 463 63 97 55 062 32 78 5 456 3 25 1916 44 858 51 08 40 394 46 00 2 564 2 92 1912 27 703 35 56 30 412 39 04 19 779 25 39 1908 43 942 60 76 24 706 34 16 3 669 5 07 1904 41 605 60 60 24 839 36 18 2 212 3 22 1900 33 784 59 74 19 812 35 04 2 952 5 22 1896 37 437 68 33 14 459 26 39 2 889 5 27 1892 26 975 50 71 24 336 45 75 1 885 3 54 1888 21 969 53 88 17 530 42 99 1 276 3 13 1884 19 030 58 07 12 391 37 81 1 350 4 12 1880 18 195 62 24 10 779 36 87 261 0 89 1876 15 787 59 29 10 712 40 23 128 0 48 1872 13 665 71 94 5 329 28 06 0 0 00 1868 12 993 66 49 6 548 33 51 0 0 00 1864 13 962 62 24 8 470 37 76 0 0 00 1860 12 244 61 37 7 707 38 63 0 0 00 1856 11 467 57 85 6 680 33 70 1 675 8 45 1852 7 626 44 85 8 735 51 37 644 3 79 1848 6 779 60 77 3 646 32 68 730 6 54 1844 7 322 59 55 4 867 39 58 107 0 87 1840 5 278 61 22 3 301 38 29 42 0 49 1836 2 710 47 76 2 964 52 24 0 0 00 Since the Great Depression Rhode Island politics have been dominated by the Rhode Island Democratic Party and the state is considered part of the Democrats Blue Wall Democrats have won all but four presidential elections since 1928 with the exceptions being 1952 1956 1972 and 1984 2 The Rhode Island Republican Party although virtually non existent in the Rhode Island General Assembly has remained competitive in gubernatorial elections having won one as recently as 2006 Until 2014 Democrats had not won a gubernatorial election in the state since 1992 and it was not until 2018 that they won one by double digits The Rhode Island General Assembly has continuously been under Democratic control since 1959 Democrats hold all statewide and congressional seats including Governor Daniel McKee Lt Governor Sabina Matos House Speaker K Joseph Shekarchi Senate President Dominick Ruggerio U S Representatives Gabe Amo and Seth Magaziner U S Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse Secretary of State Gregg Amore General Treasurer James Diossa and Senate Majority Leader Michael McCaffrey In a 2020 study Rhode Island was ranked as the 19th easiest state for citizens to vote in 3 Party registration as of February 2021 4 Party Total voters Percentage Unaffiliated 348 569 43 18 Democratic 346 320 42 90 Republican 112 334 13 92 Total 807 223 100 Contents 1 History 1 1 Federalists vs Anti Federalists 1776 1820 1 2 Democratic Republican Era 1820s 1 3 Whig Era 1833 1850 1 3 1 Dorr Rebellion 1840 1842 1 3 2 Law and Order Party and Whig Party co dominance 1840s 1 4 Republican Era 1850s 1930s 1 5 Democratic Era 1930s present 1 5 1 Return of Republicans and rise of third parties 1976 present 2 Issues 3 Minor parties 3 1 Moderate Party 3 2 Constitution Party 3 3 Cool Moose Party 3 4 Green parties 3 5 Libertarian Party 3 6 Natural Law Party 3 7 Reform Party 3 8 Socialist Party 4 Defunct parties 4 1 Country Party 4 2 Federalist Party 4 3 Democratic Republican Party 4 4 People s Party 4 5 Law and Order Party 4 6 Whig Party 4 7 Native American Party Know Nothings 4 8 Constitutional Union Party Unionists 5 Federal representation 6 See also 7 ReferencesHistory editFederalists vs Anti Federalists 1776 1820 edit Rhode Island declared independence from the British Empire on May 4 1776 two months before the U S Declaration of Independence was ratified 5 However despite this eagerness for independence Rhode Island was also a stronghold for Anti Federalism through the Country Party which was widely popular among rural areas of Rhode Island and dominated the Rhode Island General Assembly from 1786 to 1790 The Country Party s dominance prevented ratification of the Federalist U S Constitution and the state had even refused to send any delegation to the 1787 Constitutional Convention that wrote it Father of the Constitution James Madison described Rhode Island as ruled by wickedness and folly in which All sense of character as well as of right have been obliterated After the insurance of the inclusion of a bill of rights however support grew for the Constitution in Rhode Island Rhode Island became the last of the original 13 states to ratify the Constitution in 1790 by only 2 votes after Gov John Collins supported it and several remaining Anti Federalists boycotted the ratifying convention 6 After ratification many Anti Federalists remained with the Country Party or joined Thomas Jefferson s Anti Administration faction which eventually became the Democratic Republican Party Rhode Island s first 2 governors after ratification Anti Federalist leader Arthur Fenner and Henry Smith were both nominees of the Country Party 7 Meanwhile one of Rhode Island s first 2 senators Joseph Stanton Jr was a nominee of the Anti Administration Party 8 Despite the Anti Federalist views during the 1780s the Federalist Party eventually became the dominant party in Rhode Island Rhode Island gave its electoral votes in most Presidential elections to the Federalist candidate during this era Meanwhile Federalist Senator William Bradford became the 1st U S Senator from Rhode Island to serve as President pro tempore of the United States Senate during the 5th Congress 9 While the Federalist Party is generally considered to have died after the War of 1812 Rhode Island still had Federalists in the U S Congress as late as 1820 and Federalist Governor William Jones was not defeated by a Democratic Republican candidate until Nehemiah R Knight was elected in 1816 7 Democratic Republican Era 1820s edit In the 1820s Rhode Island like the rest of the union was largely dominated by the Democratic Republican Party Knight William C Gibbs and James Fenner son of former Governor Arthur Fenner were all elected Governors of Rhode Island during this time After the party split into Andrew Jackson s Democratic Party and the opposition National Republican Party Rhode Island was generally opposed to Jackson s policies and supportive of the Federalist inspired policies of National Republican leaders John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay supporting the former in the hotly contested Presidential elections of 1824 10 and 1828 11 Many of these Anti Jacksonians or Adams Men such as Asher Robbins and former Governor Nehemiah R Knight 12 13 represented the state in Congress before the formation of the Whig Party in 1833 Whig Era 1833 1850 edit Rhode Island Congressmen were almost exclusively Whigs during the 1830s and early 1840s Whigs Lemuel H Arnold Elisha Harris Henry B Anthony and William W Hoppin were also Governors of Rhode Island during this time However Democrats John Brown Francis and William Sprague III served for most of the 1830s 14 Rhode Island s electoral votes also backed the Presidential candidacies of Whig leaders William Henry Harrison in 1840 15 Henry Clay in 1844 16 and Zachary Taylor in 1848 17 Dorr Rebellion 1840 1842 edit Main article Dorr Rebellion In 1841 Rhode Island was the last state to still require ownership of property to vote in its elections as it was still governed by the provisions of its original colonial charter of 1663 which restricted voting rights to landowning white men and their eldest sons About 60 of Rhode Island adult men were ineligible to vote due to these restrictions by 1840 Political activist Thomas Wilson Dorr was the leader of a group known as the Rhode Island Suffrage Association or Dorrites 18 that attempted to amend or replace the charter with a new constitution extending suffrage to all white men but efforts to do so consistently failed in the Rhode Island General Assembly 19 After failed attempts to change the system from within the Dorrites held a convention for the newly formed People s Party which drafted a new constitution that enfranchised all white men after one year s residence 20 Meanwhile General Assembly members who supported the charter known as Charterites or the Law and Order Party drafted a constitution that made concessions to the People s Party but two referendums held later that year determined that a majority of voters approved of the People s Party constitution but disapproved of the Law and Order Party s constitution by a narrow margin 18 However Governor Samuel Ward King a Charterite refused to recognize the results of the referendums resulting in the holding of two elections that April one set up by the People s Party which elected Dorr as governor and another set up by the Law and Order Party which re elected King 18 King and Dorr essentially served as governors concurrently after this election King declared martial law and attempted to persuade U S President John Tyler to send federal soldiers to Rhode Island to resolve the issue but Tyler feeling that the threat of violence was hourly diminishing refused 19 Without the threat of federal interference Dorr s government mounted an attack upon the Providence Arsenal on May 19 1842 Charterite defenders including Dorr s own father and uncle suppressed the attack and the Dorrites retreated to the village of Chepachet to hold another People s Convention Charterites cut off the retreat in the city of Woonsocket causing Dorr s government to fall 20 Despite their victory the Charterite General Assembly ultimately drafted and adopted the current Rhode Island Constitution in September 1842 which extended voting to all free men of any race who owned property or could pay a 1 poll tax Although the former members of the People s Party attempted to oppose the Law and Order Party s candidates in the 1843 elections the Law and Order Party took all major offices in these elections and their new constitution was adopted in May Encouraged by the new constitution s expanded suffrage Dorr returned to the state but was captured by King and tried and convicted of treason However public protests resulted in Dorr s pardon by Governor James Fenner in 1845 19 Law and Order Party and Whig Party co dominance 1840s edit After the Dorr Rebellion ended the Law and Order Party shared power with the Whigs for the remainder of the 1840s until the former dissolved and the latter fell from power in Rhode Island The Law and Order Party s James Fenner was the first governor elected under the Rhode Island Constitution Fenner had previously served as governor on two other occasions as a member of the Democratic Republican Party Byron Diman also represented the Law and Order Party as governor 21 In 1843 Rhode Island was given a 2nd Congressional district The Law and Order Party s Elisha R Potter was the first Congressman from this district The 2nd district also elected Benjamin Babock Thurston to Congress in 1847 Thurston was the first Democrat elected to Congress from Rhode Island 22 In the late 1840s and early 1850s the nationally declining Whig Party became diminished in Rhode Island while the Law and Order Party dissolved and most of its members returned to their pre Dorr Rebellion allegiances to the Whigs or Democrats Republican Era 1850s 1930s edit After the demise of the Rhode Island Whigs the Know Nothing and Democratic Parties were briefly co dominant parties in Rhode Island From 1851 to 1853 Rhode Island had an all Democrat set of executive offices for the first time led by Governor Philip Allen In the same year Charles Tillinghast James became Rhode Island s first Democratic Senator Meanwhile Benjamin Babock Thurston returned to his Congressional seat as a Know Nothing and William W Hoppin was Rhode Island s only Know Nothing governor in 1854 serving in the office until 1856 In the late 1850s however much of the remaining Know Nothings and Whigs nationally were absorbed by the Republican Party 23 which would become the dominant party in Rhode Island until the Great Depression of the 1930s Republican dominance in Rhode Island began with the elections of several Republicans to major offices in 1857 such as Governor Elisha Dyer 24 and Sen James F Simmons 25 The first 14 Republican Party Presidential candidates beginning with John C Fremont in 1856 won Rhode Island s electoral votes during this era 26 The Constitutional Union Party became strong in Rhode Island during the early 1860s Across the country many conservative former Whigs and Know Nothings unsatisfied with the secessionists in the national Democratic Party became Unionists and nominated Unionist candidates at their state conventions 27 Both Rhode Island representatives to the 37th U S House of Representatives were Unionists 22 During the American Civil War Rhode Island was the first state to respond to President Abraham Lincoln s 1861 request for troops from the individual Union states Governor William Sprague IV nephew of former Governor William Sprague III believed that the war would be over rather quickly and easily in the Union s favor and chose to lead the Rhode Island brigade to Virginia to oversee what he expected to be a Union victory 28 There he participated in the First Battle of Bull Run and despite the Confederate victory was offered a commission as Brigadier General which he refused opting to remain Governor of Rhode Island Sprague went on to serve 2 six year terms as a Senator from Rhode Island after retiring from the Governor s post in 1863 28 Burnside also became a Governor of Rhode Island from 1866 to 1869 and then replaced Sprague in the U S Senate in 1875 serving there until his death in 1881 29 From 1863 to 1887 every governor of and U S Congressman from Rhode Island was a member of the Republican Party 21 During this time Senator Henry B Anthony served as President pro tempore of the United States Senate 30 the 2nd Rhode Island Senator to do so after William Bradford in 1797 9 Also during this time Governor Henry Lippitt became the first in a familial line of several prominent Rhode Island politicians dating to Governor Lincoln Chafee and including one of Lippitt s sons Sen Henry F Lippitt who was a brother in law of U S president and Chief Justice William Howard Taft 31 Also the administration of three term Governor Alfred H Littlefield officially established the current boundary line of Rhode Island and Massachusetts and authorized the establishment of the state s first industrial school for impoverished children in an effort to update the state s education system to keep in time with manufacturing developments 32 In 1887 some Democratic power returned when prominent Democratic businessman John W Davis was elected governor over incumbent Republican George P Wetmore with whom many in both parties were dissatisfied 33 During Davis first one year term a women s suffrage amendment to the State Constitution was passed by the state legislature but not accepted by the state s male voters in an April 6 1887 referendum 34 Also during Davis first term the current boundary line with Connecticut was established revised election laws were passed which made voter fraud more difficult and orphanages were regulated by the state However Davis was defeated in his 1888 and 1889 gubernatorial bids but Davis returned to the governorship for another one year term in 1890 33 Another popular Democrat during Rhode Island s Republican Era was Lucius F C Garvin a longtime General Assembly member from Cumberland and eventual governor serving two one year terms However a Republican controlled legislature prevented most of Garvin s reform minded programs from passing 35 Garvin was considered for the Democratic nomination for U S president in 1904 36 In the late 19th century and early 20th century there was much controversy in the state political system surrounding Republican leader and lobbyist Charles R Brayton who generally supported the interests of Republican senators Henry B Anthony and Nelson W Aldrich As both a Civil War veteran and a member of the state s economic elite Brayton was easily supported by the majority of Rhode Islanders and is credited with helping many candidates into office including Sen Aldrich who would later become one of the most prominent U S Senators 37 Brayton rose to political prominence in Rhode Island in the 1890s as a chairman of the Republican State Committee and eventually as a member of the Republican National Committee Brayton campaigned heavily for the passage of laws shifting gubernatorial powers including almost all appointment powers to the State Senate which was reliably a Republican majority The Brayton Act was a major hindrance to Democratic reformers such as Governor Garvin after its passage and would continue to hinder gubernatorial power until Democrats gained a State Senate majority in 1935 38 Brayton also had a political rivalry with James H Higgins another Democratic governor during Rhode Island s Republican Era Higgins greatly opposed Brayton s lobbying claiming Brayton was paid by railroad and telephone companies to lobby their special interests 39 Brayton did not deny this but said that he never lobbied against the interests of the Republican Party to favor a corporation s interest 40 In 1912 President Taft s reelection campaign was the first Republican campaign to not receive Rhode Island s electoral votes despite the fact that he was a 5th cousin of former Governor Royal C Taft Democrat Woodrow Wilson who won the election was the first Democrat to receive Rhode Island s electoral votes since Franklin Pierce in 1852 before the founding of the Republican Party Also in 1912 the Republican ticket for executive offices led by Aram J Pothier who was also the first Rhode Island governor of foreign birth born in Quebec won the first 2 year executive terms having previously served four 1 year terms 41 Upon the beginning of the Great Depression in 1929 Republican Norman S Case was Governor of Rhode Island Although he was reelected in 1930 the Depression worsened and Republican popularity lessened and Theodore F Green summarily defeated Case in 1932 The Depression is generally cited as the primary reason for the fall of Republicans in Rhode Island transitioning to a period of Democratic dominance which continues today Democratic Era 1930s present edit In the 1932 and 1934 elections Democrats officially swept Republicans out of power in the state Theodore F Green easily defeated Republican Governor Norman S Case in the 1932 gubernatorial election 42 Democrat Peter G Gerry who served 2 terms in the U S Senate before the Depression reclaimed his former seat by defeating incumbent Republican Senator Felix Hebert 43 In the State Senate elections in 1934 2 seats were contested both held by Republicans but Democratic victories in these districts would create a Democratic Party majority in the Senate Lt Gov Robert Quinn assigned to preside over seating the newly elected State Senators refused to seat the Republicans who had claimed re election to those two seats Green demanded a recount on January 1 1935 and the recount determined that the Democratic candidates in both districts had won by narrow margins This has become known as the Bloodless Revolution as Republicans have struggled to regain power in Rhode Island since 44 Republicans remained in some power throughout the 1930s as Charles Risk served the 1st Congressional district in the 74th and 76th Congresses 45 In 1938 many Republicans led by gubernatorial candidate William Henry Vanderbilt III was elected into office including retaking control of both houses of the General Assembly 44 However in 1939 Vanderbilt s support was seriously weakened by a wire tapping scandal involving a private detective he had hired to search for election fraud 46 The scandal cost him his re election chances and many Republicans elected in 1938 were defeated by Democratic challengers in 1940 47 48 49 Democrats also regained a majority in both houses of the General Assembly and have not lost it since 44 Meanwhile many prominent Rhode Island Democrats also became nationally prominent under Democratic Presidents Franklin D Roosevelt and Harry S Truman The most notable of these was former Governor Green who successfully ran for Senate in 1936 and served there until 1960 finally retiring in ill health at age 93 the oldest Congressman in history at the time 50 Green was known as the President s man as a strong supporter of Democratic Presidents and one of Republican President Dwight D Eisenhower s strongest Democratic supporters Green was also a civil rights leader working closely with then Majority Leader Lyndon B Johnson to pass voting rights bills such as the Civil Rights Act of 1957 The state s largest airport is named T F Green Airport after him J Howard McGrath first a governor after defeating incumbent Vanderbilt in 1940 also went on to serve for many years in a federal capacity McGrath was appointed U S Solicitor General by Truman in October 1945 and served there for one year before resigning to become a senator in the 80th Congress which had Republican majorities in both houses However he chaired the U S Senate Committee on the District of Columbia at the beginning of the Democrat ruled 81st Congress McGrath was also chairman of the Democratic National Committee during this time allowing for racial integration of the Democrats national headquarters and successfully managing President Truman s 1948 reelection campaign For this McGrath was promoted to United States Attorney General until his resignation in 1952 after refusing to be investigated after suspected corruption 51 52 With McGrath s resignation to become Solicitor General then Lt Gov John O Pastore became the first Italian American governor in U S history and would later become the first Italian American U S Senator As governor Pastore enacted Rhode Island s first sales taxes corporate income taxes and primary election laws Pastore retired from his post as governor upon winning a special election to replace McGrath in the U S Senate where Pastore would serve until 1976 where he was famously involved in a 1969 Senate hearing on the funding of PBS in which famous public TV host Fred Rogers testified successfully against President Richard Nixon s proposed PBS funding cuts McGrath and Pastore were two of many Democrats who served lengthy amounts of time in the U S Senate or House of Representatives during their time Between 1941 and 1976 Rhode Island sent only 11 different people to the U S Congress all of them Democrats including Pastore McGrath and Green Other notables included 12 term Rep Aime Forand who proposed the first bill for the program that eventually became Medicare Rep John E Fogarty who became a national political leader on medical research as a longtime member of the House Appropriations Committee 14 term Rep Fernand St Germain Rep Forand s successor who was involved in passing legislation that would ultimately be blamed for the savings and loan crisis of the 1980s 1990s Back in Rhode Island itself four term Governor J Joseph Garrahy became iconic for his handling of the Blizzard of 1978 during which Governor Joe kept a calm casual comforting demeanor while living at his State House office for about a week to manage the crisis and maintain order Perhaps the most notable member of the Democratic dynasty of the 1940s 1970s though was Sen Claiborne Pell Best known as the father of Pell Grants Claiborne Pell was elected to the U S Senate after a lengthy career as a U S Department of State diplomat during which time he had been involved in the drafting of the United Nations Charter Pell was first elected in 1960 upon the retirement of T F Green after defeating both former Gov Dennis J Roberts and former U S Attorney General J Howard McGrath in the Democratic primary election Senator Pell was considered eccentric by D C politicians due to his insistence on using only public transportation and low cost automobiles and supposed paranormal beliefs and was often considered the least electable politician in Washington however Rhode Island would ultimately reelect him to the Senate five times Sen Pell is best remembered as the creator of Basic Educational Opportunity Grants in 1973 now known as Pell Grants which provide financial aid to American university students Pell was also largely responsible for the creation of the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities and was chairman of the U S Senate Committee on Foreign Relations for eight years later in his tenure Having served for 36 years upon his retirement Claiborne Pell is the longest serving U S Senator in Rhode Island history Return of Republicans and rise of third parties 1976 present edit Main articles Rhode Island elections 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Rhode Island 2012 United States presidential election in Rhode Island 2012 and United States Senate election in Rhode Island 2012 This section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed June 2016 Learn how and when to remove this message In his 36 years in the Senate Claiborne Pell served alongside only two other U S Senators from Rhode Island John Pastore and John Chafee the first Republican U S Senator from Rhode Island in 40 years and a prominent Rockefeller Republican Chafee had previously served three two year terms as governor in the 1960s his administration was celebrated for championing public transportation and environmental conservation but ended in a surprise reelection loss to Democrat Frank Licht after Chafee both reversed his anti income tax stance and had to lessen his campaign efforts due to family matters Chafee first ran for the U S Senate as a challenger Sen Claiborne Pell in 1972 but Pell held the seat by a result of 54 46 However Chafee ran again in 1976 to replace the retiring Sen John O Pastore and defeated Democrat Richard Lorber 58 42 Sen Chafee broke with his own party on many issues most notably on environmental issues which Chafee made his main concern as a senator Chafee authored the Coastal Barrier Resources Act that designated protected coastal areas that became ineligible to government development and was also instrumental to the passages of the Superfund program the Clean Water Act and the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and later chaired the U S Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Chafee was described as a moderate but was among the most liberal U S Senators on social issues during his time Upon his death in October 1999 Chafee was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton and his son Lincoln Chafee was appointed to replace his father the elder Chafee had already announced his plans to retire at the end of his term and the younger Chafee had already announced his plans to run to succeed him Meanwhile the Chafees tenure in the U S Senate corresponded to some return to Republicans holding major state offices in Rhode Island although the Democrats always held their majority in both houses of the General Assembly In 1984 Republican Edward DiPrete was elected after Governor Garrahy s retirement and went on to serve 3 terms as governor despite the Democrats consistently holding over 85 of Assembly seats However DiPrete was widely suspected of corruption and would later do time in prison for bribery extortion and racketeering and ultimately lost in a landslide to Democrat Bruce Sundlun in 1990 the third time that Sundlun had challenged the incumbent DiPrete Sundlun immediately closed 45 banks and credit unions due to the collapse of the RI Share and Deposit Indemnity Corporation RISDIC under DiPrete Sundlun became a champion of improving infrastructure and tourism working across the aisle with controversial Providence Mayor Buddy Cianci who would also later do time in prison for racketeering conspiracy i e running the city of Providence as a criminal enterprise to support the building of or improvement of key infrastructure such as the Rhode Island Convention Center Quonset Air Museum T F Green Airport Providence Place Mall and more The work of the Cianci and Sundlun administrations launched what became known as the city of Providence s Renaissance period in which infrastructure the arts and the economy were all booming Sundlun was the last Rhode Island governor to be elected to 2 year terms beginning in 1994 governors and all other state offices would be elected for 4 year terms and limited to two such terms In a surprising upset Gov Sundlun lost the 1994 Democratic primary to strongly liberal State Senator Myrth York who was then defeated by Republican Lincoln Almond by a slim margin of 47 44 in the general election third party activist Robert J Healey won 9 Beginning with York s loss in 1994 Democrats would go on to lose five consecutive gubernatorial elections despite maintaining their supermajorities in both houses of the General Assembly and Rhode Island s 4 electoral votes always going to Democratic candidates in Presidential election years during those 20 years Between Governor Almond and his successor Gov Donald Carcieri Republicans held the Rhode Island governorship for the longest period of time 16 years since the 19th century Gov Almond prioritized health care making significant expansions to the public children s health care program Rite Care and making Rhode Island among the states with the highest percentage of people having health insurance Almond was also instrumental in the creation of the Community College of Rhode Island s Newport campus funded by a bond referendum passed with the Governor s support in 2000 and made major investments to improve and modernize the University of Rhode Island his alma mater When Almond was term limited in 2002 conservative businessman Donald Carcieri defeated party endorsed Jim Bennett in the Republican primary and then defeated 3rd time Democratic nominee Myrth York to become Almond s successor and was thrust into the national spotlight early in his term by The Station nightclub fire of February 2003 Carcieri s governorship was characterized by conflicts with the General Assembly and organized labor as Carcieri often attacked the state government s expansive welfare programs and history of corruption but could do little to enact changes due to the Democrat controlled Assembly s ability to override his vetoes The Assembly also overrode Carcieri s vetoes of bills to legalize medical marijuana and make progress on LGBT civil rights issues The latter position was particularly controversial with Rhode Islanders the year of Carcieri s first election 2002 was also the year that Providence elected the first openly homosexual mayor of a U S state capital David Cicilline in a landslide election and Carcieri won reelection in 2006 against Lt Gov Charles J Fogarty by only 2 percentage points Also in 2006 Sen Lincoln Chafee lost the seat that had been held by him or his father for 30 years Former State Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse defeated Chafee by a margin of 53 5 46 5 in an election that was part of a national swing to a Democratic majority in both houses of the U S Congress Chafee one of the most left of center Senators at the time later admitted that his loss to Whitehouse was good for the country since it helped give the majority to the Democrats 53 and Chafee later disaffiliated from the Republican Party and announced a run for governor for 2010 In the 2010 gubernatorial election there were four major candidates State Treasurer Frank T Caprio for the Democrats John Robitaille for the Republicans former Sen Lincoln Chafee as an independent and businessman Ken Block who had founded the Moderate Party of Rhode Island in 2009 to advocate for meaningful political economic and educational reform The Moderate Party s founding involved a court battle for official recognition that ended in the overturning of several laws that made it much easier for third party and independent candidates to gain ballot access in elections beginning in 2010 The four way race gained international attention when President Barack Obama to whom Chafee has been a political ally refused to endorse a candidate and Caprio publicly told the President of the United States to take his endorsement and really shove it citation needed Caprio s remark hurt his campaign such that despite being a Democrat in a heavily Democratic state he ultimately placed third with just 23 of the vote citation needed Chafee won the race with 36 just about 2 5 percentage points more than Robitaille while Block earned 6 5 enough to gain major party status for the Moderate Party Chafee became Rhode Island s first independent governor since the 18th century He also immediately proved to be a very unpopular governor likely owing to the fact that 64 of Rhode Islanders voted for someone else Chafee s approval ratings fell further when he proposed a variety of tax increases and he stirred up national controversy when he stood by his decision to refer to the annual State House Christmas tree as a Holiday Tree in the name of separation of church and state Among Gov Chafee s accomplishments was passing LGBT marriage equality Also in 2010 Providence Mayor David Cicilline won the District 1 House of Representatives seat being vacated by retiring Rep Patrick J Kennedy and fellow Democrat Angel Taveras won the election to succeed Cicilline as Mayor in a landslide Shortly after taking office in 2011 Taveras discovered that he had inherited over 180 million in debt that Cicilline had largely hidden from the public through what was described by Providence City Council Finance Chairman John Igliozzi as illusory revenue borrowing and other tricks 54 Cicilline s approval ratings just a few months after winning federal office went below 20 as the vast majority of voters blamed Cicilline for the city s financial woes 54 which ultimately required controversial austerity like measures to prevent the city of Providence from declaring bankruptcy Rep Cicilline was also accused by District 2 Rep James Langevin of gerrymandering by tampering with the regular redrawing of district lines to ensure his own reelection in 2012 which despite the controversies Cicilline did win with 53 of the vote In 2014 Governor Chafee having officially joined the Democratic Party in 2013 and facing massive unpopularity and likely primary challengers chose not to run for reelection The primaries in both parties were hotly contested on the Democratic side venture capitalist and State Treasurer Gina Raimondo perceived as a fiscally center right frontrunner defeated Providence Mayor Angel Taveras and Clay Pell grandson of the late Sen Pell after unions and other liberals divided almost evenly between the 2 more liberal challengers while on the Republican side Moderate Party founder Ken Block left his own party to run as a Republican only to be defeated in the primary by conservative Cranston Mayor Allan Fung Without Block the Moderate Party had nominated James Spooner for governor but when he became severely ill Robert J Healey who had previously run for governor or lieutenant governor 6 times on the platform of his own Cool Moose Party was announced as the substitute nominee with less than 2 months until election day Spending less than 40 in total and campaigning mostly through social media a blog and organizing charity fundraisers Healey s guerrilla campaign stunned pundits and pollsters by winning 22 of the vote and even winning pluralities in a few towns Ultimately however Raimondo defeated Fung to become Rhode Island s first female governor by a margin of 40 36 Meanwhile the election to replace Taveras as Mayor of Providence saw former Mayor and convicted felon Buddy Cianci attempt to return to politics The race was seen by many as a referendum on Cianci s legacy 55 with supporters pointing to the improved infrastructure city parks arts scene and other gains associated with the city s Renaissance during Cianci s time as Mayor while detractors pointed to Cianci s history of violent criminal behavior and frank less than remorseful admissions to using public power for personal reasons 56 In a rare move into municipal politics President Obama publicly endorsed Cianci s little known Democratic challenger Jorge Elorza as did Sen Sheldon Whitehouse who as a U S Attorney oversaw the investigation that led to Cianci s racketeering charges and eventual conviction in 2002 Even the Republican nominee for Mayor Dan Harrop urged citizens to vote for his Democratic opponent Elorza citing concerns that Cianci would not have the city s best interests at heart 56 55 Ultimately Elorza proved victorious by a margin of 53 44 over Cianci It was the first election that Cianci has ever lost 55 Joe Biden continued the Democratic trend in Rhode Island carrying the state by 20 8 points or 107 564 votes 57 Republican Donald Trump carried the crucial Catholic vote 50 to Biden s 49 who comprised 52 of the electorate the most of any state 58 Catholics were once a reliable Democratic constituency but have become competitive in recent elections due to their social conservatism 59 Issues editRhode Island has comprehensive health insurance for low income children and a large social safety net Many urban areas still have a high rate of children in poverty Due to an influx of residents from Boston Massachusetts increasing housing costs have resulted in more homeless in Rhode Island Minor parties editThis section needs expansion You can help by adding to it June 2016 Moderate Party edit Main article Moderate Party of Rhode Island The Moderate Party of Rhode Island is the third largest contemporary political party in the U S state of Rhode Island after the Democratic Party and the Republican Party The Moderate Party of Rhode Island gained official party status and ballot access via a federal lawsuit and the gathering of 34 000 signatures on August 18 2009 In August 2018 Tony Jones was appointed to the North Kingstown School Committee making him the first ever Moderate in public office 60 Constitution Party edit Main article Constitution Party United States Cool Moose Party edit Main article Cool Moose Party Green parties edit Main article Green Party of Rhode Island Libertarian Party edit Main article Libertarian Party of Rhode Island Natural Law Party edit Main article Natural Law Party United States Reform Party edit Main article Reform Party of the United States of America Socialist Party edit Main article Socialist Party USADefunct parties editThis section needs expansion You can help by adding to it June 2016 Country Party edit Main article Country Party Rhode Island Federalist Party edit Main article Federalist Party Democratic Republican Party edit Main article Democratic Republican Party People s Party edit A party briefly created in the Rhode Island Voting Crisis leading to the Dorr Rebellion The party was founded by Thomas Dorr as an alternative to the old guard legislature which enforced strict voting restrictions Law and Order Party edit Main article Law and Order Party of Rhode Island Whig Party edit Main article Whig Party United States Native American Party Know Nothings edit Main article Know Nothing Constitutional Union Party Unionists edit Main article Constitutional Union Party United States Federal representation editMain article Rhode Island s congressional districts Rhode Island currently has 2 House districts In the 118th Congress both of Rhode Island s seats are held by Democrats There are as follows Rhode Island s 1st congressional district represented by Gabe Amo D Rhode Island s 2nd congressional district represented by Seth Magaziner D Rhode Island s two United States Senators are Democrats Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse serving since 1997 and 2007 respectively Rhode Island is part of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island in the federal judiciary The district s cases are appealed to the Boston based United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit See also edit2020 Rhode Island elections Government of Rhode Island United States presidential elections in Rhode Island Women s suffrage in Rhode IslandReferences edit Leip David Presidential General Election Results Comparison Rhode Island US Election Atlas Retrieved January 4 2023 Rhode Island Presidential Election Voting History 270toWin J Pomante II Michael Li Quan December 15 2020 Cost of Voting in the American States 2020 Election Law Journal Rules Politics and Policy 19 4 503 509 doi 10 1089 elj 2020 0666 S2CID 225139517 https datahub sos ri gov RegisteredVoter aspx Rhode Island declares independence This Day in History A amp E Television Networks LLC Retrieved December 8 2012 The 13th State Rhode Island Ratification of the U S Constitution LibGuides at Rhode Island College Retrieved December 8 2012 a b List of Governors A guide to the state of Rhode Island TheUS50 com Retrieved December 8 2012 Joseph IV STANTON Infoplease Retrieved December 8 2012 a b William BRADFORD Infoplease com Pearson Education Retrieved December 8 2012 1824 Presidential General Election Results Rhode Island David Leip Retrieved December 8 2012 1828 Presidential General Election Results Rhode Island David Leip Retrieved December 8 2012 ROBBINS Asher Biographical Information Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Retrieved December 8 2012 KNIGHT Nehemiah Rice Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Retrieved December 8 2012 Rhode Island Governors Rhode Island Lost Souls Genealogy Project Diane Siniard Retrieved December 8 2012 1840 Presidential General Election Results Rhode Island David Leip Retrieved December 8 2012 1844 Presidential General Election Results Rhode Island David Leip Retrieved December 8 2012 1848 Presidential General Election Results Rhode Island David Leip Retrieved December 8 2012 a b c Dorr Thomas Wilson Infoplease Retrieved December 8 2012 a b c Rebellion Murder and Voting Rights in Rhode Island Searching Historical Horizons Archived from the original on November 22 2012 Retrieved December 8 2012 a b Voting Rights and the Dorr Rebellion Woonsocket Retrieved December 8 2012 a b Rhode Island Governors 1640 Present The Office of the Secretary of State of Rhode Island Retrieved December 11 2012 a b Congressional Biographical Directory Retrieved December 11 2012 Political Party Timeline 1836 64 The American Experience WGBH Education Foundation Retrieved December 16 2012 RI Governor Race Apr 01 1857 Our Campaigns Retrieved December 16 2012 RI US Senate Race Jan 09 1857 Our Campaigns Retrieved December 16 2012 Leip Dave Dave Leip s Atlas of U S Presidential Elections Retrieved December 16 2012 What Is the Constitutional Union Party wiseGEEK Conjecture Corporation Retrieved December 16 2012 a b SPRAGUE William Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Retrieved December 16 2012 Ambrose Everett BURNSIDE Infoplease Retrieved December 16 2012 ANTHONY Henry Bowen Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Retrieved January 1 2013 Bennett Laurie The Chafees the Tafts and the family business Muckety Muckety LLC Retrieved January 1 2013 Alfred Henry Littlefield National Governors Association Retrieved January 1 2013 a b John William Davis National Governors Association Retrieved January 1 2013 Manning Lucinda Records of the League of Women Voters of Rhode Island Rhode Island Historical Society Manuscripts Division Retrieved January 1 2013 Governor Lucius F C Garvin M D Inducted 2008 Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame Media Conscious Retrieved January 1 2013 GARVIN FOR PRESIDENCY Boom for Rhode Island s Democratic Governor Is Started PDF The New York Times December 12 1903 p 1 D Amato Don November 9 2011 Warwick s powerful politicians Charles R Brayton the blind boss Warwick Beacon Beacon Communications Retrieved January 6 2013 Chapter VII Boom Bust and War 1900 1945 Retrieved January 6 2013 SHERIFF DEFIES GOVERNOR S ORDER White Will Not Oust Gen Brayton and Says Higgins Is Insolent A QUESTION OF LOBBYING Rhode Island Executive Declares the General Is Notoriously Corrupt PDF The New York Times March 10 1907 p 11 Retrieved January 6 2013 BRAYTON THE BLIND BOSS OF RHODE ISLAND Downfall of Republican Leader in Smallest New England State Ends a Picturesque Personality In Ways That Resemble Those for Which Old Hickory Was Famous He Has Been Sustained PDF The New York Times July 14 1907 p 3 Retrieved January 6 2013 Aram Pothier National Governors Association Retrieved January 9 2013 RI Governor Race Nov 08 1932 Our Campaigns Retrieved January 9 2013 RI US Senate Race Nov 06 1934 Our Campaigns Retrieved January 9 2013 a b c Nesi Ted New Year s Day marks 78 years since RI Bloodless Revolution WPRI com Archived from the original on January 7 2013 Retrieved January 9 2013 RISK Charles Francis Biographical Information Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Retrieved January 9 2013 Governor of Rhode Island testifies before Senate Wire Tapping committee Washington D C May 28 Library of Congress Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Retrieved January 9 2013 RI District 01 Race Nov 05 1940 Our Campaigns Retrieved January 9 2013 RI District 02 Race Nov 05 1940 Our Campaigns Retrieved January 9 2013 RI US Senate Race Nov 05 1940 Our Campaigns Retrieved January 9 2013 GREEN Theodore Francis Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Retrieved January 15 2013 McGRATH James Howard Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Retrieved January 15 2013 Marcus Truman and the Steel Seizure Case The Limits of Presidential Power 1977 pp 35 36 Antle III W James August 27 2007 A Laffey Matter The American Spectator Retrieved May 12 2015 a b Isenstadt Alex March 29 2011 Rhode Island s David Cicilline under fire POLITICO com POLITICO LLC Retrieved May 12 2015 a b c Herbst Bayliss Svea November 4 2014 Buddy Cianci loses bid to govern Providence R I for a third time Reuters Retrieved May 15 2015 a b Smith Michelle R October 5 2014 Ex Mayor Cianci s legacy debated amid comeback bid Washington Times Retrieved May 15 2015 Dave Leip s Atlas of U S Presidential Elections uselectionatlas org Retrieved February 14 2022 Rhode Island Voter Surveys How Different Groups Voted The New York Times November 3 2020 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved February 14 2022 Prendergast William B 1999 The Catholic Voter in American Politics Washington DC Georgetown University Press pp 186 191 193 Moderate Party RI onPolitix LIN Media Archived from the original on November 12 2012 Retrieved October 14 2012 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Politics of Rhode Island amp oldid 1218802521, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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