Rhode Island 2012 Election Results

Rhode Island held its general election on November 6, 2012, deciding 113 legislative seats. No chamber changed party control.

Highlights

• Democrats tightened their hold on the General Assembly, widening their majorities to 69-6 in the House and 32-5-1 in the Senate, counting its one independent.
• The two casino questions drew the most attention. Statewide voters backed table games at both of the state's casinos, but each measure also needed a majority in its host community: Lincoln voters overwhelmingly approved table games at Twin River under Question 1, while Newport voters rejected them by 8 points, sinking Question 2 for Newport Grand.
• All 7 seats that changed party went to Democrats, 5 of them by defeating Republican incumbents:
  • Ryan Pearson (D) beat Sen. Bethany Moura (R) by about 19 points in Senate District 19.
  • Leonidas Raptakis (D) beat Sen. Glenford Shibley (R) by about 23 points in Senate District 33.
  • Catherine Cool Rumsey (D) beat Sen. Francis Maher Jr. (R) by about 10 points in Senate District 34.
  • Robert Craven (D) beat Rep. Laurence Ehrhardt (R) by about 8 points in House District 32.
  • Linda Dill Finn (D) edged Rep. Daniel Reilly (R) by 100 votes in House District 72.
  Democrats also took the open Republican House District 65 and won House District 71, where Rep. Dan Gordon, elected as a Republican in 2010, failed to qualify as a Libertarian and ran as a write-in. Republicans held two seats narrowly: Antonio Giarrusso (R) kept House District 30, long held by the retiring Rep. Bob Watson (R), by 72 votes, and Sen. Nicholas Kettle (R) held Senate District 21 by about 200 votes.
• Voters approved every bond question on the ballot: higher education, a veterans' home, clean water, environmental management, and affordable housing.

Legislature

• House (75 seats): 65 D, 10 R before the election, 69 D, 6 R after; control stayed with Democrats.
• Senate (38 seats): 29 D, 8 R, 1 other or vacant before the election, 32 D, 5 R, 1 other or vacant after; control stayed with Democrats.

Legislative races

Ballot measures