Rhode Island Democratic Party

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

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.

An analysis of Gallup polling data shows the Democratic advantage over the Republican Party in Rhode Island voters plunged between 2008 and 2011. 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.

Elected officials

U.S. Senate

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

U.S. House of Representatives

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

Statewide officials

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

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