Rhode Island 2018 Election Results

Rhode Island held its general election on November 6, 2018, deciding 113 legislative seats and 5 statewide offices led by the governorship. No chamber changed party control.

Highlights

• Democrats swept all five statewide offices and kept supermajorities in both chambers, with Republicans losing ground in the House and merely holding even in the Senate.
• Gov. Gina Raimondo (D) beat Allan Fung (R) by about 15 points, becoming the first governor since 2006 to win a majority; Joe Trillo (I), a Republican-turned-independent, finished a distant third.
• In the House, Republicans lost two of their seats on net as both parties traded districts.
  • Democrats unseated three Republican Reps.: Justine Caldwell (D) beat Anthony Giarrusso (R) in HD-30, Terri Cortvriend (D) beat Kenneth Mendonca (R) in HD-72, and Christopher Millea (D) beat Robert Lancia (R) in HD-16. James Jackson (D) also took HD-26, vacated by former Minority Leader Patricia Morgan.
  • Republicans answered by ousting former Judiciary chairman Cale Keable (D) in HD-47, where David Place (R) won by about 14 points, and John Lyle (R) won the open HD-46 in a three-way race.
  • House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello (D) turned back a second challenge from Steve Frias (R) in HD-15, by about 330 votes.
• The Senate's partisan balance was unchanged: Jessica de la Cruz (R) flipped SD-23 and Bridget Valverde (D) flipped SD-35, leaving Republicans with five members, their previous representation.
• Down the ballot, Lt. Gov. Dan McKee (D), Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea (D), and Treasurer Seth Magaziner (D) were re-elected by wide margins, and Peter Neronha (D) won the attorney general's office with no Republican on the ballot.
• In all, 8 legislative seats changed parties and 4 incumbents lost. Beyond the flips, 2 races finished inside two points: George Nardone (R) held HD-28 for Republicans by 31 votes, and Sen. Thomas Paolino (R) kept SD-17 by about 140. Another 56 races drew a single candidate.
• Voters approved all 3 bond questions: Question 1 ($250 million for school buildings), Question 2 ($70 million for higher education facilities), and Question 3 ($47.3 million for environment, recreation, and water infrastructure).

Legislature

• House (75 seats): 64 D, 11 R before the election, 66 D, 9 R after; control stayed with Democrats.
• Senate (38 seats): 33 D, 4 R, 1 other or vacant before the election, 33 D, 5 R after; control stayed with Democrats.

Statewide races

Legislative races

Ballot measures