Rhode Island Democratic Party

Affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of Rhode Island

Rhode Island Democratic Party

Chairwoman| Elizabeth Perik
Governor| Dan McKee
Lieutenant Governor| Sabina Matos
Senate President| Dominick Ruggerio
House Speaker| Joe Shekarchi
Headquarters| Warwick, RI
Membership (2021)| 346,320[1]
Ideology| Modern liberalism
National affiliation| Democratic Party
Colors|  Blue
Seats in the U.S. Senate|

2 / 2

Seats in the U.S. House|

2 / 2

Statewide Executive Offices|

5 / 5

State Senate|

33 / 38

State House|

65 / 75

Election symbol
Website
www.ridemocrats.org

* Politics of Rhode Island
* Elections

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

## Democratic Party dominance in Rhode Island

[edit]

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

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

## Elected officials

[edit]

### U.S. Senate[5]

[edit]

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

* Junior U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse

* Senior U.S. Senator Jack Reed

### U.S. House of Representatives[6]

[edit]

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

District  | Member  | Photo

|
|

1st | Gabe Amo |
2nd | Seth Magaziner |

### Statewide officials[7]

[edit]

Democrats control all five of the elected statewide offices:

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

### State Legislature[8]

[edit]

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

## Party leadership and staff

[edit]

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

### State committee officers

[edit]

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

### National Committee Persons

[edit]

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

### Staff

[edit]

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

## Previous election results

[edit]

### 2020 general election[9]

[edit]

For President Candidate  | Party  | Vote %  | Votes

|
|
|

Joseph R. Biden | Democratic | 59.4  | 307,486
Donald J. Trump | Republican | 38.6  | 199,922
For U.S. Senator Candidate  | Party  | Vote %

|
|

John F. Reed | Democratic  | 66.2
Allen R. Waters | Republican  | 33.4
For U.S. Representative — District 1  Candidate  | Party  | Vote %

|
|

David N. Cicilline | Democratic  | 70.8
Frederick Wysocki  | Independent | 15.8
Jeffrey E. Lemire  | Independent  | 12.6
For U.S. Representative — District 2  Candidate  | Party  | Vote %

|
|

James R. Langevin | Democratic  | 58.2
Robert B. Lancia  | Republican  | 41.5

### 2018 general election[10]

[edit]

For U.S. Senator  Candidate  | Party  | Vote %

|
|

Sheldon Whitehouse | Democratic  | 61.4
Robert G. Flanders Jr. | Republican  | 38.3
For U.S. Representative — District 1  Candidate  | Party  | Vote %

|
|

David N. Cicilline  | Democratic  | 66.7
Patrick J. Donovan  | Republican  | 33.1
For U.S. Representative — District 2  Candidate  | Party  | Vote %

|
|

James R. Langevin  | Democratic  | 63.5
Salvatore G. Caiozzo  | Republican  | 36.3

### 2016 general election[11]

[edit]

For President  Candidate  | Party  | Vote %  | Votes

|
|
|

Hillary Clinton | Democratic  | 54.4  | 252,525
Donald J. Trump  | Republican  | 38.9  | 180,453
For U.S. Representative — District 1  Candidate  | Party  | Vote %

|
|

David N. Cicilline  | Democratic  | 64.5
Russell Taub  | Republican  | 35.1
For U.S. Representative — District 2  Candidate  | Party  | Vote %

|
|

James R. Langevin  | Democratic  | 58.1
Rhue Reis  | Republican  | 30.7

### 2014 general election[12]

[edit]

For U.S. Senator  Candidate  | Party  | Vote %

|
|

John F. Reed  | Democratic  | 70.6
Mark S. Zaccaria  | Republican  | 29.2
For U.S. Representative — District 1  Candidate  | Party  | Vote %

|
|

David N. Cicilline  | Democratic  | 59.5
Cormick B. Lynch  | Republican  | 40.2
For U.S. Representative — District 2  Candidate  | Party  | Vote %

|
|

James R. Langevin  | Democratic  | 62.2
Rhue R. Reis  | Republican  | 37.6

### 2008 general election[13]

[edit]

For President  Candidate  | Party  | Vote %

|
|

Barack Obama | Democratic  | 63.1
John McCain | Republican  | 35.2
For U.S. Senator  Candidate  | Party  | Vote %

|
|

John F. Reed  | Democratic  | 73.4
Robert G. Tingle  | Republican  | 26.6
For U.S. Representative — District 1  Candidate  | Party  | Vote %

|
|

Patrick J. Kennedy  | Democratic  | 68.6
Jonathon P. Scott  | Republican  | 24.3
For U.S. Representative — District 2  Candidate  | Party  | Vote %

|
|

James R. Langevin  | Democratic  | 70.1
Mark S. Zaccaria  | Republican  | 29.9

### 2004 general election[14]

[edit]

For President  Candidate  | Party  | Vote %

|
|

John F. Kerry | Democratic  | 59.4
George W. Bush | Republican  | 38.6
For U.S. Representative — District 1  Candidate  | Party  | Vote %

|
|

Patrick J. Kennedy  | Democratic  | 64.1
David W. Rogers  | Republican  | 35.8
For U.S. Representative — District 2  Candidate  | Party  | Vote %

|
|

James R. Langevin  | Democratic  | 74.5
Arthur Chuck Barton III  | Republican  | 20.8

## References

[edit]

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

## External links

[edit]

* Rhode Island Democratic Party

Authority control databases |

* VIAF

|

* v
* t
* e

Rhode Island political parties

Major|

* Democratic
* Republican

Minor|

* Moderate
* Green Party of Rhode Island
* Libertarian

Defunct|

* Law and Order
* Country Party
* Cool Moose Party

See also
Politics of Rhode Island and Political party strength in Rhode Island

* v
* t
* e

Democratic Party

* History
* Second Party System
* Third Party System
* Fourth Party System
* Fifth Party System
* Sixth Party System

National
conventions,
presidential
tickets,
and
presidential
primaries|

* 1828 (None): Jackson/Calhoun
* 1832 (Baltimore): Jackson/Van Buren
* 1835 (Baltimore): Van Buren/R. Johnson
* 1840 (Baltimore): Van Buren/None
* 1844 (Baltimore): Polk/Dallas
* 1848 (Baltimore): Cass/Butler
* 1852 (Baltimore): Pierce/King
* 1856 (Cincinnati): Buchanan/Breckinridge
* 1860 (Charleston/Baltimore): Douglas/H. Johnson (Breckinridge/Lane, SD)
* 1864 (Chicago): McClellan/Pendleton
* 1868 (New York): Seymour/Blair
* 1872 (Baltimore): Greeley/Brown
* 1876 (St. Louis): Tilden/Hendricks
* 1880 (Cincinnati): Hancock/English
* 1884 (Chicago): Cleveland/Hendricks
* 1888 (St. Louis): Cleveland/Thurman
* 1892 (Chicago): Cleveland/Stevenson I
* 1896 (Chicago): W. Bryan/Sewall
* 1900 (Kansas City): W. Bryan/Stevenson I
* 1904 (St. Louis): Parker/H. Davis
* 1908 (Denver): W. Bryan/Kern
* 1912 (Baltimore): Wilson/Marshall
* primaries
* 1916 (St. Louis): Wilson/Marshall
* primaries
* 1920 (San Francisco): Cox/Roosevelt
* primaries
* 1924 (New York): J. Davis/C. Bryan
* primaries
* 1928 (Houston): Smith/Robinson
* primaries
* 1932 (Chicago): Roosevelt/Garner
* primaries
* 1936 (Philadelphia): Roosevelt/Garner
* primaries
* 1940 (Chicago): Roosevelt/Wallace
* primaries
* 1944 (Chicago): Roosevelt/Truman
* primaries
* 1948 (Philadelphia): Truman/Barkley
* primaries
* 1952 (Chicago): Stevenson II/Sparkman
* primaries
* 1956 (Chicago): Stevenson II/Kefauver
* primaries
* 1960 (Los Angeles): Kennedy/L. Johnson
* primaries
* 1964 (Atlantic City): L. Johnson/Humphrey
* primaries
* 1968 (Chicago): Humphrey/Muskie
* primaries
* 1972 (Miami Beach): McGovern/(Eagleton, Shriver)
* primaries
* 1976 (New York): Carter/Mondale
* primaries
* 1980 (New York): Carter/Mondale
* primaries
* 1984 (San Francisco): Mondale/Ferraro
* primaries
* 1988 (Atlanta): Dukakis/Bentsen
* primaries
* 1992 (New York): B. Clinton/Gore
* primaries
* 1996 (Chicago): B. Clinton/Gore
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* 2000 (Los Angeles): Gore/Lieberman
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* 2004 (Boston): Kerry/Edwards
* primaries
* 2008 (Denver): Obama/Biden
* primaries
* 2012 (Charlotte): Obama/Biden
* primaries
* 2016 (Philadelphia): H. Clinton/Kaine
* primaries
* 2020 (Milwaukee/other locations): Biden/Harris
* primaries
* 2024 (Chicago): Harris/Walz
* primaries

Presidential
administrations|

* Jackson (1829–1837)
* Van Buren (1837–1841)
* Polk (1845–1849)
* Pierce (1853–1857)
* Buchanan (1857–1861)
* A. Johnson (1868–1869)
* Cleveland (1885–1889; 1893–1897)
* Wilson (1913–1921)
* Roosevelt (1933–1941; 1941–1945)
* Truman (1945–1953)
* Kennedy (1961–1963)
* L. B. Johnson (1963–1969)
* Carter (1977–1981)
* Clinton (1993–2001)
* Obama (2009–2017)
* Biden (2021–2025)

U.S. House
leaders,
Speakers,
and
Caucus
chairs|

* A. Stevenson (1827–1834)
* Bell (1834–1835)
* Polk (1835–1839)
* J. W. Jones (1843–1845)
* Davis (1845–1847)
* Cobb (1849–1851)
* Boyd (1851–1855)
* G. W. Jones (1855–1857)
* Orr (1857–1859)
* Houston (1859–1861)
* Niblack/Randall (1869–1871)
* Niblack (1873–1875)
* Kerr (1875–1876)
* Randall (1876–1881)
* Carlisle (1883–1889)
* Holman (1889–1891)
* Crisp (1891–1895)
* D. B. Culberson (1895–1897)
* Richardson (1897–1903)
* Williams (1903–1909)
* Clark (1909–1921)
* Kitchin (1921–1923)
* Garrett (1923–1929)
* Garner (1929–1933)
* Rainey (1933–1934)
* Byrns (1935–1936)
* Bankhead (1936–1940)
* Rayburn (1940–1961)
* McCormack (1962–1971)
* Albert (1971–1977)
* O'Neill (1977–1987)
* Wright (1987–1989)
* Foley (1989–1995)
* Gephardt (1995–2003)
* Pelosi (2003–2023)
* Jeffries (2023–present)

U.S. Senate
leaders
and
Caucus
chairs|

* J. W. Stevenson (1873–1877)
* Wallace (1877–1881)
* Pendleton (1881–1885)
* Beck (1885–1890)
* Gorman (1890–1898)
* Turpie (1898–1899)
* J. K. Jones (1899–1903)
* Gorman (1903–1906)
* Blackburn (1906–1907)
* C. A. Culberson (1907–1909)
* Money (1909–1911)
* Martin (1911–1913)
* Kern (1913–1917)
* Martin (1917–1919)
* Hitchcock (1919–1920)
* Underwood (1920–1923)
* Robinson (1923–1937)
* Barkley (1937–1949)
* Lucas (1949–1951)
* McFarland (1951–1953)
* Johnson (1953–1961)
* Mansfield (1961–1977)
* Byrd (1977–1989)
* Mitchell (1989–1995)
* Daschle (1995–2005)
* Reid (2005–2017)
* Schumer (2017–present)

Chairs of
the DNC|

* Hallett
* McLane
* Smalley
* Belmont
* Schell
* Hewitt
* Barnum
* Brice
* Harrity
* Jones
* Taggart
* Mack
* McCombs
* McCormick
* Cummings
* White
* Hull
* Shaver
* Raskob
* Farley
* Flynn
* Walker
* Hannegan
* McGrath
* Boyle
* McKinney
* Mitchell
* Butler
* Jackson
* Bailey
* O'Brien
* Harris
* O'Brien
* Westwood
* Strauss
* Curtis
* White
* Manatt
* Kirk
* Brown
* Wilhelm
* DeLee
* Dodd/Fowler
* Romer/Grossman
* Rendell/Andrew
* McAuliffe
* Dean
* Kaine
* Wasserman Schultz
* Perez
* Harrison
* Martin

State and
territorial
parties|

* Alabama
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Affiliated
groups|

| Congress|

* Senate Caucus
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* House Caucus
* Factions
* Blue Dog Coalition
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* Squad
* Justice Democrats
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|

Fundraising|

* Democratic Attorneys General Association
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* Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
* National Conference of Democratic Mayors
* National Democratic Redistricting Committee

Sectional|

* College Democrats of America
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* National Federation of Democratic Women
* Stonewall Democrats
* Stonewall Young Democrats
* Young Democrats of America
* High School Democrats of America

Related|

* Primaries
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