Big Winners and Losers in 2018 Election
Wednesday, November 07, 2018
GoLocalProv Political Team
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Governor Gina Raimondo election night at the Biltmore with family
In Rhode Island, Election night was a blue wave on steroids. Not only did Democrats win every contested race for federal and statewide office, but the Democratic slaughter carried to nearly every General Assembly race and city and town.
GoLocal looks at all of the proverbial winners and losers election nights including the candidates, special interest groups, and politicos.
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Former Governor Lincoln Chafee said part of the overwhelming victory for some winners was that with a good economy, it was a good night for incumbents — and for victors like Governor Gina Raimondo who won with over 51 percent of the vote the economy was a big factor. Chafee appeared on GoLocal LIVE’s Election coverage on Tuesday night.
For Allan Fung, the night was a nightmare. For the second time, the Cranston Mayor was defeated by Raimondo, but by a multiplied margin. Raimondo this time beat Fung by 15 percent and independent candidate Joe Trillo was hardly a factor.
Raimondo won with 52.6 percent of the vote over Fung’s 37.2 percent and Trillo’s anemic 4.4 percent.
Nearly 373,000 Rhode Islanders cast their vote for a gubernatorial candidate in 2018 — 50,000 more votes than in 2014.
And, in communities like East Greenwich, the wave of blue simply overwhelmed Republican candidates.
The GOP strategy of surrendering many of the statewide and Congressional races in exchange of building the party from the grassroots level turned into a political slaughter with key GOP incumbents losing their seats and two high profile Republican hopefuls losing high profile races — GOP National Committeeman Steve Frias losing again to Speaker of the House Nick Mattiello and Republican State Chairman Brandon Bell losing badly in his bid for a House seat to one-term legislator Alex Marszalkowski.
And for those that tried to topple the king — Mattiello — the State House may not be an inviting place in 2019. More than 15 House and, members-elect are on record opposing the reelection of Mattiello as Speaker and some high profile groups “went all in” in an effort to knock Mattiello out of arguably, the most powerful political office in Rhode Island.
SEE THE WINNERS AND LOSERS BELOW
Related Slideshow: Big Winners and Losers in 2018 Election
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Winner
Landslide Mattiello
Speaker of the House Nick Mattiello fought off another vibrant challenge from Steve Frias to set up his effort to continue to control the most powerful political office in Rhode Island -- Speaker of the House.
Nicholas A. Mattiello (DEM) 3101 50.9%
Steven Frias (REP) 2960 48.6%
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Winner
Democrats in East Greenwich
The top five vote-getters win seats on the East Greenwich Town Council.
Democrats swept the top five seats. It was a terrible night for the GOP in the affluent East Greenwich -- once a Republican hotbed.
Mark Schwager (DEM) 4153 14.1%
Michael P. Donegan (DEM) 3850 13.1%
Renu R. Englehart (DEM) 3716 12.6%
Michael J. Zarrella (DEM) 3302 11.2%
Caryn P. Corenthal (DEM) 3115 10.6%
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Winner
If at First, You Don’t Succeed
In 2016, Democrat Chris Milea lost narrowly -- just 90 votes to Republican Bob Lancia. This time revenge was sweet for Milea who is a close ally of Speaker of the House Nick Mattiello.
Christopher T. Millea (DEM) 2989 52.5%
Robert B. Lancia (REP) 2692 47.3%
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Winner
Progressive Win, GOP Loss
Progressive Democrat Justine Caldwell defeated small businessman and moderate incumbent Republican Antonio Giarrusso -- a candidate who was seen as a potential building block for Republicans.
District 30
Justine A. Caldwell (DEM) 3319 50.6%
Antonio Giarrusso (REP) 3237 49.3%
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Winner
Congressional Democrats and Senate Republicans
Big win for Nancy Pelosi and the House Democrats. They have regained the House, but may not by the margin they had hoped for. With Dems in control get ready for the subpoenas to start flying towards the White House.
But, in the Senate, the Republicans have picked up seats which make confirmation hearings all the easier for Trump and moderates like Maine Senator Susan Collins less relevant.
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Winner
Only GOP Bright Spot?
Former GOP State Senator Jack Lyle won the House seat in District 46 beating Representative Mary Ann Shallcross. Lyle once ran statewide as a GOP nominee as Secretary of State.
District 46
John W. Lyle, Jr. (REP) 2776 46.1%
Mary Ann Shallcross Smith (DEM) 2664 44.2%
John J. Cullen (Ind) 573 9.5%
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Winner
Governor Gina Raimondo
The victory was not a surprise -- the 15 point margin was. Now, she emerges as a player at the national level.
Her fundraising skills are unmatched in Rhode Island history. Now she has the potential of being in the discussion as a potential VP candidate or a replacement for Jack Reed in the future.
Raimondo scored a big win and overcame big negatives.
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Loser
GOP Chairman Brandon Bell
The Republican Chair had a horrific night. He lost his bid for State Representative. His close political partner Steve Frias lost again to Speaker Nick Mattiello. The GOP lost all of the federal and state offices.
Alex D. Marszalkowski (DEM) 3583 58.5%
Brandon Scott Bell (REP) 2534 41.4%
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Loser
Keable Goes Down
House Judiciary Committee Chair and close ally to Speaker of the House Nick Mattiello, Cale Keable was defeated. Just ten days before the election reports that Keable had allegedly sexually harassed fellow State Representative Katherine Kazarian emerged.
He was suspended by his law firm. A GOP win.
Dictrict 47
David J. Place (REP) 2959 56.7%
Cale P. Keable (DEM) 2244 43.0%
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Loser
Susan Cicilline-Buonanno
She made national news when she was pulled over by Warwick police on national live TV.
Then, she announced she was withdrawing from the race.
Then, she refused to sign her withdrawal letter so she remained on the ballot.
Well, Narragansett voters ended the endless machinations - they knocked Cicilline-Buonanno of the town council.
Top five vote-getters win seats -- Cicilline-Buonanno finished sixth.
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Loser
Joe Trillo
He created a distraction. Took GOP candidate Allan Fung functionally out of the race with constant attacks.
Trillo dominated every debate.
He claimed his "internal polling" had him with over 30 percent of the vote. In the end, he scored less than 5 percent of the vote.
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Loser
Building Trades
Mike Sabitoni has a great relationship with Governor Gina Raimondo and Senate President Dominick Ruggerio, but the House of Representatives may be very frosty for the union boss.
After the PawSox stadium deal became a political football and the team announced it was moving to Worcester, Sabitoni decided to target Mattiello for defeat. Well, Mattiello lives.
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