Who Will Be Rhode Island's Newest State Senator?
GoLocalProv News Team and Kate Nagle
Who Will Be Rhode Island's Newest State Senator?
The race features three Democrats, three Republicans, and an Independent, for the district that is Portsmouth, Bristol and Tiverton.
SLIDES: See the Candidates BELOW
Rhode Islad Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea announced the timeframe for the special election following Ottiano’s resignation for a new job at Neighborhood Health Plan in October.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"I want to thank Senator Ottiano for his service to the people of Rhode Island. I look forward to giving the voters of Senate District 11 the opportunity to elect a new senator," Secretary Gorbea said. "We are working closely with the State Board of Elections and the local boards of canvassers to ensure that the election process is fair, fast and accurate.”
Gorbea announced that three Democrats (James Seveney, Brett Pelletier, and Amy Rice), three Republicans (Joan Chabot, Kenneth Mendonca, and John Pagliariani Jr.) and one Independent (Gregory Steven Blythe) declared for the seat on October 23.
Last week, Seveney received the endorsement of the RI Progressive Democrats of America.
“All of the Democratic candidates are real Democrats, and our group would be willing to support any of them in the general election” said Sam Bell, RIPDA’s state coordinator. “Jim stood out as the strongest champion of middle-class economic values. We were impressed by his eleven years of experience on the Portsmouth Town Council, especially his efforts to fight a new LNG facility on Mount Hope Bay.”
GOP on the Record
Rhode Island GOP Chairman Brandon Bell spoke about the race for the previously Republican-held seat which was one of only 5 in the 38 member Senate - and in light of Ottiano supporting Seveney, first reported by the Newport Daily News.
“There was no endorsement by Portsmouth GOP — in 2014, more than 70% of that district’s vote was is Portsmouth. Portsmouth has a great GOP committee, they’ve done a big “Turn RI Red” effort, they just decided to stay neutral,” said Bell. “As a state committee we did the same."
Bell said that he “wasn’t surprised” that Ottiano backed Seveney. “It’s not surprising that he aligned with Seveney, who’s being backed by state house insiders. [Ottiano] voted for the tolls.”
In June, the Senate took up Governor Gina Raimondo’s controversial truck toll plan, with 33 Senators voting in support — and only four against. Those oppposed where Mark Gee (R-East Greenwich), Nick Kettle (R-Coventry), Elaine Morgan (R-Hopkinton), and Mark Cote (D-Woonsocket).
Republican Mark Dosdourian said he believed the key to winning the special election would lie in absentee ballots.
“The key to a win in my opinion is absentee ballots and that will be decided by the 15th of December when the ballot application deadline is reached,” said Dosdourian. “Voters will be involved in the Christmas and Hanukkah followed by New Year's. If the weather is bad, no one will want to go out to vote so the mail ballots could prove to be decisive for the special election.”
Senate District 11 Special Election
Gregory Steven Blythe
Independent
The Portsmouth resident declared for the seat back in October.
Joan Chabot
Republican
On the Tiverton Town Council since 2010, Chabot has the following statement on her campaign Facebook page:
I am running for the Senate District 11 seat to represent and serve our communities using my 33 years management experience in the private sector combined with my five years on the Tiverton Town Council in addressing the many challenges facing our state that directly impact our towns, our residents and our businesses. I know how to approach an issue by doing the research, reaching out and listening to people’s opinions and concerns, reviewing available options and using facts, not emotion, to make informed, common sense decisions. I’m a hardworking individual who is a fiscal conservative. I will strive to maintain an open door communication policy with local town councils, town administrators and school committees to ensure that we are a team focused on the right issues.
Ken Mendonca
Republican
The Portsmouth resident is a Program Manager at Rite-Solutions in Middletown. On Mendonca’s campaign Facebook page, he provides the following “political perspective”:
Political Perspectives:
• ontest new taxes
• Reduce state tax burden on residents and businesses
• Oppose new highway tolls of any kind. I heard the East Bay residents loud and clear!
• Eliminate state income tax on retired military, local and federal retiree pensions
• Support business friendly economic policies and legislation
• Uphold fiscally responsible budgets
• Advocate for the local defense industry
• Protect the State of Rhode Island Constitution, Article 1 § 22
• Ensure waste water management residents are not overregulated
• Challenge majority party rubber stamping
• Honorably serve and dutifully represent the residents of District 1
John Pagliariani Jr
Republican
Pagliarini garnered the endorsement of former GOP gubernatorial candidate John Robitaille.
On his Facebook page, Pagliarini writes:
I am running for the Rhode Island Senate to best represent the interests of my district and provide the kind of steady, independent thinking that is all too often missing from the Rhode Island Statehouse.
Brett Pelletier
Democrat
According to Pelletier’s campaign Facebook page, he is a “lifelong Tiverton resident and 2001 graduate of Tiverton High School. He received his Bachelor of Science in Finance from Bentley College, where he focused on Finance and Real Estate. He is employed as a Senior Real Estate Analyst with the Boston-based Kirk & Company: Real Estate Counselors, having joined the firm in 2005. Prior to joining Kirk & Company, he served as campaign intern with John Kerry for President and interned in the Boston office of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy.”
Amy Rice
Democrat
The former Democratic member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives represented District 72 from 2005 to 2010. Before that, Rice served on the Portsmouth Town Council from 2002 to 2004.
Rice posted on her personal Facebook page on October 24
I am pleased to announce that I formally declared my candidacy for state senate district 11 vacated by Chris Ottiano.
I was honored to serve in the legislature for six years. I was active, ambitious and responsive to constituents. I would be honored to serve again across the hall this time.
I wouldn't have the learning curve and would hit the ground running.
There is a primary on DECEMBER 1st.
I ask for your vote in this special election. Thanks!
James Seveney
Democrat
The Portsmouth Town Council Vice President has garnered the support of the council, the RI Progressive Democrats, and the former Republican seat holder.
