While the statewide Republican Party represents itself as stronger than ever, it is still failing to offer candidates in nearly a third of the state’s legislative races.
In the House of Representatives, 22 legislators are running unopposed. That’s 29.3 percent of the 75 members of the House that are facing no opposition in the General Election. In the state Senate, 10 of the 38 members are unopposed, representing 26.3 percent of the Senate membership.
Of those unopposed in the House, there are only two Republicans, Sherry L. Roberts, District 29 (Coventry), and Barbara Ann Fung, District 15 (Cranston).
Fung is the wife of Republican Congressional candidate and former Cranston Mayor Allan Fung. She won a shocking and decisive victory over then-Speaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello in 2020.
In the Senate Jessica Delacruz in District 23 (Burrillville, Glocester) is the only Republican running unopposed.
It is not unusual for large numbers of legislators to run without opposition in Rhode Island.
On Aquidneck and Conanicut Island (Jamestown) only two of the six House seats are contested. Running unopposed are current representatives, Terri-Denise Cortvriend, D-Dist. 72 (Middletown and Portsmouth); Marvin Abney, D-Dist. 73 (Middletown and Newport); and Lauren Carson, D-Dist. 75 (Newport). Also unopposed is Democrat Alex S. Finkelman, D-Dist. 74 (Jamestown), who is running for the seat being vacated by Deb Ruggiero, who lost in the primary election for lieutenant governor.
In the other two area House races, Democrat John D. Edwards, Dist. 70 (Tiverton) is being challenged by Republican Christopher Borden, and in District 71, Democrat Michelle McGaw is being challenged by Independent Kobe J. Taylor.
There are no area state Senators running unopposed.
Early voting begins in less than two weeks, on Oct. 19, and runs through Nov. 7, the day before election day.
