Levey Friedman’s Loss Is a Warning Message for Democratic Leadership

Levey Friedman’s Loss Is a Warning Message for Democratic Leadership

When the final numbers are counted, Hilary Levey Friedman will have spent upwards of $100,000 for a state senate run in District 3.

And when her total spend is reported, she may have spent as much as $150 a vote.

Levey Friedman had the backing of the AFL-CIO, the Providence Firefighters Union, SEIU, and just about every other major Democratic machine political apparatus and she finished with just 613 votes — or 15% of the vote.

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On the flip side — the two progressive candidates Bret Jacob and Geena Pham combined to win 46% of the vote in the five-way primary.

For Senate President Dominick Ruggerio and House Speaker Joe Shekarchi, this is a warning sign that progressives are the driving force in Rhode Island politics right now.

Sam Zurier, the former Providence City Councilman won the primary with 31% of the vote in a crowded primary.

 

All the Advantages

Levey Friedman announced she would run for office months before the vacancy was created by Senator Gayle Goldin taking a job with the Biden Administration.

She made a bold political claim in April. “I’m exploring running for the General Assembly because I know we need people representing us in ‘the arena’ who are willing to do the hard work of pursuing justice," said Levey Friedman, who said her academic and professional background "allows her to listen to different points of view and collaborate with others to develop a plan to progress forward."

Despite the months and months of a head start, the massive fundraising advantage, and the Democratic party brass endorsements, the outcome was a major disappointment for the state's political powers.

In the final week, the Providence Firefighters sent out a negative mailer that attacked Pham. Levey Friedman claimed she renounced negative advertising, but refused to disavow the mailer sent by the group that endorsed her.

The last-minute mailer may have impacted her campaign the most and allowed Zurier to gain separation from the field.

Pham, who ran under the flag of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Matt Brown’s RI Political Co-op, issued a highly critical statement of the Democratic powers after the final numbers were counted on Tuesday night.

“Our state’s whole corrupt political establishment did everything they could to beat Geena Pham because she represents the possibility of real change. In the face of attacks and a crowded field, Geena ran an incredible campaign,” said the Co-op.

“We want to thank all the wonderful progressive organizations that joined us in supporting Geena, including BLM RI PAC, Sunrise Providence, Sunrise RI Youth, and Reclaim RI. They were out with us day after day on the doors, on the phones and turning out the vote for Geena. The corrupt establishment tried to divide us, but we are united. We have not seen the last of Geena Pham,” they continued -- a clear statement that Zurier is likely to see a primary in the 2022 primary. 

Jacob's camp congratulated Zurier in defeat -- but pointed out the overwhelming support for the two progressives. 

"This was a hard-fought race, and we’re proud of Bret and the many volunteers and East Side community leaders who worked hard to elect a Working Families Party champion in District 3," they said. "There were two strong progressives in this race, and together our campaigns had hundreds of powerful conversations with voters -- conversations that made clear that many East Siders want urgent action on ending homelessness, transforming our broken criminal legal system, and fighting climate change. We have friends and allies who supported both progressive candidates, and we look forward to coming together to hold Sam accountable to passing the type of bold progressive change that keeps us moving toward a Rhode Island that works for the many, not the few."