5 Shocking Facts from the 2016 RI Presidential Primary

#1

The Outcome Should Scare All Incumbents

If you add the votes of the former socialist Mayor of Burlington, Vermont with those of the former reality TV star together, they garnered over 60.5% of the vote in the Rhode Island Presidential Primary.

In contrast, the combined vote of the former U.S. Secretary of State, a sitting United States Senator and a Governor of one of the most important political states combined for just 39.5%.

#2

Feel the Bern

Every Bernie Sanders delegate candidate received more votes than the top delegate running for Clinton. Think about that.

Most of the delegates for Sanders are political newcomers. Many of Clinton’s delegate candidates were party leaders or from top political families.

Clinton’s delegates included Gubernatorial candidates Clay Pell and Myrth York, Elorza’s top staffer Brett Smiley and members of power Democratic families like Paolino and Weiner.

#3

Turnout for Democrats Way Down from 2008

In the historic primary battle between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in 2008, more than 189,000 voted in the Democratic primary. 

In 2016, 119,000 Rhode Islanders voted in the Democratic primary — a decrease of 37 percent in total voters.

#4

GOP Turnout Increased - Is Rhode Island Getting More Conservative?

In 2008, the GOP Presidential primary turnout in Rhode Island was 26,996. Arizona U.S. Senator John McCain won 64 percent of the vote in Rhode Island.

In 2008, seven times as many Rhode Islanders voted in the Democratic primary as voted in the GOP primary.

2016 Flip

Trump helped to drive 61,394 total votes to the GOP primary in 2016 — a 127 percent increase in voter turnout. 

The ratio dropped to just two-to-one voting in the number of voters in the Democratic primary versus the GOP.

#5

"Throw Them All Out"

The Brown University poll released Sunday found that the majority of Rhode Islanders believe the state is on the "wrong track."

Nearly every Democratic elected official in Rhode Island publicly endorsed Hillary Clinton including, Governor Raimondo, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline, and Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza. 

The only group that endorsed Bernie Sanders was small and included State Senator James Sheehan and State Rep Raymond Hull to name two.

On the GOP side, many of the traditional party leaders supported former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, but as they fell from the race they shifted to Ohio Governor John Kasich and Texas U.S. Senator Ted Cruz.  

The political power structure in Rhode Island was soundly defeated on Tuesday.