Rhode Island 2022 Election Results

Rhode Island held its general election on November 8, 2022, deciding 113 legislative seats and 5 statewide offices led by the governorship. No chamber changed party control.

Highlights

• Democrats kept every statewide office and their lopsided legislative majorities, and House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi and Senate President Dominick Ruggerio were renominated by their caucuses days later.
• Gov. Dan McKee (D), who inherited the office when his predecessor left for the Biden cabinet, won his first full term, beating Ashley Kalus (R), a recent arrival to the state, by about 19 points.
• Recounts confirmed the defeat of 2 House incumbents in races decided by a few dozen votes. Rep. Justin Price (R), who attended the January 6, 2021, Trump rally in Washington, lost House District 39 to Megan Cotter (D) by about 30 votes, and Rep. Bernard Hawkins (D) lost House District 53 to Brian Rea (R) by about 60. A third recount upheld the 38-vote win of Rep. Camille Vella-Wilkinson (D) over Marie Hopkins (R) in House District 21.
• Down the ballot, Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos (D) won by about 8 points and Attorney General Peter Neronha (D) by about 23. In the two open seats, James Diossa (D) became the state's first Latino treasurer, beating James L. Lathrop (R) by about 9 points, and Gregg Amore (D) won secretary of state by about 19 over Pat Cortellessa (R).
• In 37 of the 113 legislative races, only one candidate was on the ballot, and 6 seats changed party in both directions. The Senate's partisan split was unchanged, and the House ended with one fewer Republican and one independent member, Jon Brien (I), who won House District 49 from Democrats. Beyond the recount defeats, the open seats of three departing caucus leaders changed party:
  • Anthony DeLuca (R) took Senate District 29, the seat of retiring Majority Leader Michael McCaffrey (D).
  • Victoria Gu (D) won Senate District 38, held by longtime Senate Republican leader Dennis Algiere (R).
  • Tina Spears (D) won House District 36, held by former House Minority Leader Blake Filippi (R).
• Voters approved all 3 bond questions, authorizing $400 million in borrowing: Question 2, $250 million for school construction, passed by about 47 points; Question 3, a $50 million environmental and recreation bond, by about 34; and Question 1, $100 million for the University of Rhode Island's Narragansett Bay Campus, by about 15.

Legislature

• House (75 seats): 65 D, 10 R before the election, 66 D, 9 R after; control stayed with Democrats.
• Senate (38 seats): 33 D, 5 R before the election, 33 D, 5 R after; control stayed with Democrats.

Statewide races

Legislative races

Ballot measures