(This story is an update as of 11 p.m. today, July 14)
At what appears to be the close for filing nomination papers, 15 of the 34 candidates who declared for the District 1 House of Representatives race filed papers with a sufficient number of signatures to qualify for the ballot.
The signatures still need to be certified by the Secretary of State’s office. Nomination papers were filed with local Boards of Canvassers, so it is possible that final tallies may not have been forwarded to or recorded by the Secretary of State’s office as of 11 p.m. tonight (July 14), the deadline for filing papers.
Initially 35 potential candidates had declared that they were running – 23 Democrats, nine Independents, and three Republicans. One candidate has already dropped out, leaving a potential field of 34.
As of 11 p.m. today (July 14), those that have submitted the required number of signatures include two Republicans and 13 Democrats, according to the Secretary of State’s office. Those who have submitted the required number of signatures (which still need certification) are:
- Aaron Regunberg, former state legislator, who ran for lieutenant governor – 818 signatures.
- State Senator Sandro Cano of Pawtucket – 869 signatures.
- Gabriel Amo, former deputy director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental affairs and former staffer with Gov. Gina Raimondo – 637 signatures.
- Providence Councilman John Goncalves – 626 signatures.
- State Senator Ana Quezado of Providence – 605 signatures.
- Former state legislator Spencer Dickinson – 556 signatures.
- Allen Waters, who ran in 2020 as a Republican for the same seat – 566 signatures.
- Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos – 604 signatures.
- Democrat Nicholas Autiello, a former member of Governor Raimondo’s commerce team – 603 signatures
- Democrat Donald Carlson, senior executive director of the Tsai Leadership Program at Yale University – 709 signatures.
- Middletown Councilwoman Terri Flynn, a Republican – 590 signatures.
- Republican Gerry Leonard, an operations manager – 776 signatures.
- State Senator Stephen Casey of Woonsocket, a democrat – 733 signatures.
- Democrat Walter Berbrick, a former Naval War College Professor – 803 signatures.
- Democrat Stephanie Beaute, senor program manager, ran for Secretary of State in 2022 – 533 signatures.
Other candidates who submitted signatures, but had not yet qualified as of 11 p.m. today:
- Democrat Bella Noka, a Narragansett Elder – 388 signatures.
- Democrat Paul LeBron, who faced harassment charges in Rhode Island was a nominee for Congress in Texas in 2002 – 30 signatures.
- Democrat Michael Tillinghast, welder and machinist – 413 signatures.
- Democrat Gregory Mundy – 62 signatures.
- State Rep. Marvin Abney, D-Newport, House Finance Chair – 323
- Democrat Mickeda Sebastiana Barnes, former RIPTA bus driver – 60
- Republican William LeBron, Jr. former state Rep. candidate — 1
- Independent CD Reynolds – 24
- Independent John S. Vitkevich, a Realtor – 194
- Independent Joseph Jean-Philippe — 44
Another deadline looming for candidates is the second quarter financial filings, due tomorrow (Saturday) to the Federal Elections Commission. As of 3 p.m. today no candidate had filed a second quarter post – or at least it had not yet been posted by The Federal Elections Commission. Those who did file first quarter reports are:
- Cano reported raising $126,782.
- Matos reported raising $122,640.
- Autiello reported raising $104,330.
- State Rep. Marvin Abney, D-Dist. 73, the House Finance Chair, reported raising $77,050, and spending $62,278. None of the other candidates who reported first quarter finances showed any significant disbursements. Abney’s report, according to the FEC, contained no data about who made any contributions to his campaign or his disbursements.
- Goncalves reported raising $39,549.
The first few weeks of the campaign have been punctuated by various candidates announcing endorsements from different groups or individuals, fundraising claims, criticism about campaign finances, and questions about polling.
As the campaign heats up – and it is – we expect there will be greater concentration on differences among candidates over various issues. WhatsUpNewp has invited all candidates to appear on videocasts. Some have already been scheduled, and WUN is open to scheduling videocasts with any of the other candidates.
