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.

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...

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.

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%

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 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)

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.

Still going to use this page + my “RayBaccari” Twitter moving forward. I’ve also made a professional Facebook page for folks who want to follow my work on there, too.

My next chapter: Starting on April 20 I’ll be a MMJ for KGAN (Iowa’s News Now) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. My last day with WPRI-TV is Sunday, April 5. These last two years have been a blast, and I’m excited to tell the stories of Eastern Iowa. “The dream continues.”

(H/T) to @steveahlquist.bsky.social, who first broke the news that Moquin is running against Sen. @samuelwbell.bsky.social this year.

Cameron Moquin (D) has launched his campaign website and opened up a campaign account for a RI Senate District 5 primary challenge against state Sen. @samuelwbell.bsky.social (D) www.cameronmoquin.com

Donald James Cote (R) has opened up a campaign account to run for the open West Warwick Ward 3 Town Council seat this year. The seat is currently represented by Councilman Jason Messier (I)

Former Patriot Matthew Slater will be Providence College's 2026 commencement speaker www.wpri.com/news/local-n... @wpri12.bsky.social

Reynolda Stenberg has opened up a campaign account to run for mayor of Pawtucket this year as an independent. Currently two other candidates are running: Incumbent Mayor Don Grebien and Adam Greenman — both Democrats

The @risenate.bsky.social's chamber will be formally dedicated in the memory of the late Senate President Dominick Ruggerio tomorrow. @wpri12.bsky.social Last session lawmakers approved a bill from Senate President Val Lawson (D) to do this. www.wpri.com/news/politic...

LG candidate Xay Khamsyvoravong (D) announces he has been endorsed by term-limited Providence City Councilor (and potential House District 7 candidate?) Jo-Ann Ryan. He also recently got endorsed by Johnston Mayor @josephpolisenajr.bsky.social and Newport Mayor Charlie Holder.

Text poll being done for the Providence mayoral race by the @davidmoralespvd.bsky.social campaign ⬇️

Katherine Riordan, who most recently worked as a press assistant for @magaziner.house.gov, is the @ridemparty.bsky.social’s new executive director

INBOX: Former Providence Ward 12 City Councilman Terry Hassett endorses @davidmoralespvd.bsky.social in the race for mayor.

The field of candidates for LG keeps getting bigger! Fred McLin III (D) has opened up a campaign account to seek the state's No. 2 office this year. Currently, four other Democrats and a Republican are running.

R.I. Secretary of State @greggamore.bsky.social (D) kicks off his reelection campaign. @wpri12.bsky.social Interesting nugget of information: His 2022 GOP challenger, Pat Cortellessa, tells me he's endorsing Amore this time around. www.wpri.com/news/electio...

State Sen. Thomas Paolino (R) may have an opponent this year. Democrat Nelly Burdette has opened up a campaign account to run for RI Senate District 17.

STORY: Gen. Mike Flynn was in Warwick yesterday to campaign for CD 2 candidate Vic Mellor (R). @wpri12.bsky.social reporter Ethan Logue caught up with both men before the event. Read more about Mellor's "Rhode Island First" rally and why he's running⬇️ www.wpri.com/news/electio...

RI Attorney General @peterfneronha.bsky.social endorsed @helenabfoulkes.bsky.social in the race for governor today. @wpri12.bsky.social www.wpri.com/news/electio...

RI Secretary of State @greggamore.bsky.social (D) is launching his reelection campaign Wednesday, March 11 in East Providence. @wpri12.bsky.social Amore currently has no challenger this year. He won nearly 60% of the vote in 2022 vs Republican Pat Cortellessa. www.wpri.com/news/electio...

Dwayne Keys (D) publicly announces his 2026 candidacy for the open Providence City Council Ward 11 seat. He has been raising money since last year. I reached out asking if he was running once I saw the Act Blue page in July, but got left on read.

Looks like he deactivated his campaign account

STORY - @thestoryshorey.bsky.social chief editor of @thevalleybreeze.bsky.social since 2017, announced Wednesday he’s stepping down after 20 years with the publication. @wpri12.bsky.social www.wpri.com/news/local-n...

Veronicka Vega (D) has opened up a campaign account to run for RI House District 49. The seat is represented by the @rihouseofreps.bsky.social’s lone independent: Jon Brien

STORY - Newport Councilor Xay Khamsyvoravong joins the Democratic primary in this year’s race for lieutenant governor. @wpri12.bsky.social www.wpri.com/news/electio...

Prior to this candidacy Metivier has been an independent during his time on the council.

NEW: @reed.senate.gov will back a resolution forcing Trump to stop the Iran war within 30 days Armed Services Cmte's top Dem says he hasn't been briefed by Pentagon and doesn't think his GOP counterpart has, either "There's no strategic plan," Reed argues www.wpri.com/news/politic...