Goodbye Rhode Island

Last one of these posts I do for RI politics. This beat will go back to Dan McGowan and @iandonnis.bsky.social 😆

Any future posts about campaign account openings from me will be for Iowa politics.

Rhonda Holmes, a Republican who unsuccessfully ran for state Senate in 2022, has opened up the Ocean State Leadership PAC.

Looks like state Rep. Marvin Abney (D), the House Finance Chair, may have a primary this year.

Matthew Skirzenski (D) has opened up a campaign account to run for RI House District 73 this year. He's a mechanical engineer at Raytheon and on the Middletown Planning Board.

New business group backing challengers for Shekarchi, Lawson The League of RI Businesses, a PAC co-founded by Dave Levesque, is backing challengers against General Assembly leadership this year.

STORY - The League of RI Businesses has fielded challengers to run against House Speaker @joeshekarchi.bsky.social (D) and Senate President Val Lawson (D) this year. @wpri12.bsky.social

Read more about the Republican and Democrat the group is endorsing.

www.wpri.com/news/electio...

Morales campaign poll shows double-digit lead against Smiley The poll, conducted by Data for Progress, found Morales at 45% and Smiley at 34% among 306 likely Democratic primary voters.

An internal poll released by the campaign of state Rep. @davidmoralespvd.bsky.social says he's leading Mayor Brett Smiley by double digits six months out from this year's Providence mayoral Democratic primary. @wpri12.bsky.social

www.wpri.com/news/electio...

I'm told the committee also endorsed @ahernforag.bsky.social (D) in the primary for the open attorney general's seat.

I figure the Washington Bridge will come up more between them during debates and post-primary.

Ken Block announces 2026 run for RI governor Businessman and local government watchdog Ken Block announced Thursday he’s running for governor again as an independent.

Gov. McKee (D) was asked this morning about @kenblockri.bsky.social's (I) entry in the gubernatorial race

@wpri12.bsky.social

"If Ken is there in November after I win in September then we'll address it then," he said.

www.wpri.com/news/electio...

INBOX: Johnston’s Democratic Town Committee endorses @helenabfoulkes.bsky.social
for governor. They also endorsed Xay Khamsyvoravong for LG.

*Johnston is a community that went for Gov. McKee in 2022 by less than 3%

He is

From Xay’s campaign ⬇️

Hearing that the Johnston Democratic Town Committee has endorsed Xay Khamsyvoravong (D) in the race for lieutenant governor during a meeting tonight.

I believe this is the first committee to issue an endorsement.

Comes a few weeks after Mayor Joe Polisena Jr. (D) also endorsed Xay.

UPDATE - Reply from a @helenabfoulkes.bsky.social campaign spox.

UPDATE - Response from a spokesperson for Gov. Dan McKee’s (D) campaign.

UPDATE: Aaron Guckian’s (R) campaign responds to the entry of @kenblockri.bsky.social (I) in the race for governor.

Still awaiting replies from the campaigns of Gov. McKee (D) and @helenabfoulkes.bsky.social
(D)….

RI Treasurer James Diossa announces reelection campaign General Treasurer James Diossa announced Thursday morning he’s seeking reelection this year.

RI General Treasurer James Diossa (D) announces his reelection campaign. @wpri12.bsky.social

No challengers in the primary so far. He has a Republican opponent: Micholas Anshon Credle.

www.wpri.com/news/electio...

I asked the major candidates' campaigns about @kenblockri.bsky.social's entry:

- Aaron Guckian's (R) campaign declined to comment
- No reply yet from the campaigns of Gov. Dan McKee (D) and @helenabfoulkes.bsky.social (D)

Ken Block announces 2026 run for governor Businessman and local government watchdog Ken Block announced Thursday he’s running for governor again as an independent.

STORY - @kenblockri.bsky.social has jumped into the race for governor as an independent. @wpri12.bsky.social

He previously ran for governor as a Moderate in 2010 and as a Republican in 2014.

Read more about his announcement ⬇️
www.wpri.com/news/electio...

Robert Carr has opened up a campaign account to run for governor of RI as an independent.

Two more fun pieces of information:

- Diaz was a finalist for LG when it was open in 2021 after McKee became governor

- Quezada and Matos ran against each other in the 2023 CD 1 primary

INBOX: Lt. Gov. @sabinamatos.bsky.social (D) announces endorsements from state Sen. Ana Quezada and state Rep. Grace Diaz for her reelection campaign.

It appears that the Aaron Guckian (R) gubernatorial campaign has hit the airwaves with this ad ⬇️

www.facebook.com/share/r/1CUm...

Guckian has two other Republican opponents in the September primary: Elaine Pelino and Robert J Raimondo.

STORY - Dr. Stephen Skoly (R) has entered the race for Rhode Island's 2nd Congressional District, becoming the second Republican to challenge Rep. @sethmagaziner.bsky.social (D).

Running against Vic Mellor in the GOP primary. @wpri12.bsky.social

www.wpri.com/news/electio...

Jesse Lee Dooley (D), who ran for a Cranston citywide council seat in 2024, is looking at a run for the Ward 2 seat.

So far, Justin McCarthy (D) and Jessica Gomes (R) have opened up campaign accounts to run.

AG @peterfneronha.bsky.social (D) endorses Xay Khamsyvoravong (D) in the race for lieutenant governor.

INBOX: @ridemparty.bsky.social recaps a visit to RI by @democrats.org
Chairman @kenmartin.bsky.social.

Thanks Mike!

Thanks Nick!! Going to miss our chats about the lore of RIC's media orgs and SCG

Thanks Dave!! Maybe Ray-ality returns for Iowa, lol.