UPDATED: Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung to Challenge Speaker Nick Mattiello for House Seat
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
The race is on.
Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung — former head of the Young Republicans and the wife of Cranston Mayor Allan Fung announced her plans to take on embattled Speaker of the House Nick Mattiello for House District seat 15.
“Earlier today, my CF1 was officially filed at the Board of Elections. In response to a near tsunami of support in Cranston to end what has become the Mattiello horror show, this allows us to legally take the logical next steps to start fundraising and putting a winning team in place prior to formally launching a campaign," said Fenton Fung
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“We are extremely excited about what 2020 has in store, including ridding District 15 of the never-ending scandals that surround its state representative,” she added.
Mattiello issued a statement, "I look forward to the continued honor of representing the citizens of House District 15 and intend to run on my strong record of accomplishment and leadership for the District and the City of Cranston. A small snapshot of those accomplishments include legislation that has strengthened our state's economy and job climate, ensured the phase-out of the onerous car tax, eliminated the income tax for many seniors who receive Social Security, addressed the opioid crisis, increased education aid, and strengthened school safety measures. I continue to fight against the Governor's attempts to reduce municipal funding. It's a privilege to serve as an advocate for the city of Cranston in this fight, and unquestionably, my focus always has been and will continue to be on how I can best represent my constituents."
As GoLocal wrote earlier this year:
Cranston’s First Lady is a force to be reckoned with — and in 2020, could be a political power player in her own right.
Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung, the wife of Cranston Mayor Allan Fung, upped her public profile last fall when she was named the new Chair of the Providence Committee on Foreign Relations.
Not afraid to makes waves in the state Republican Party, Fenton-Fung publicly quit the Rhode Island State Central Committee — on Twitter — last spring.
The rift arose when Sue Cienki was named the party’s new chair after Fenton-Fung — and Fung — had backed Cienki’s opponent.
While Fung has now twice lost his bid for Governor, there are growing rumblings that Fenton could be eyeing a more political role in 2020.
Possibilities include taking up the household mantle and running for Mayor — which could pit her against GOP City Council President Michael Farina.
Another potential political avenue? Squaring off to face Democratic Speaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello in Cranston House District 15.
Mattiello has faced Republican National Committeeman Steve Frias in the last two elections — including the contentious 2016 campaign which saw former Mattiello aide Jeff Britt indicted for his role in purportedly orchestrating the funneling of illegal donations for a last-minute campaign mailer.
Fenton-Fung's Bio:
Born at Newport Hospital, Barbara Ann is the daughter of Liana, a special education teacher, and Mike, an electrical engineer for the Navy. Growing up on Aquidneck Island, BA was a state, regional, and national champion gymnast.
BA attended Northeastern University and became valedictorian at their Bouve College of Health Sciences. On her way to earning her first Master's degree in Physical Therapy, she studied at Edinburgh University in Scotland & the University of Sydney in Australia. Barbara Ann's physical therapy career has run the spectrum, seeing her care for premature babies in early intervention, all the way through to a 106-year-old on hospice. Currently, she works at Rhode Island Hospital.
In addition, Barbara Ann spent three years serving as a lecturer & lab instructor at Northeastern University teaching courses ranging from neuroanatomy to cadaver dissection.
The late State Senator June Gibbs, an extremely close friend of her mother's, would often teach BA about the master lever and the inner workings of Smith Hill while driving her back and forth to college. Only weeks before her death in 2012, Senator Gibbs urged Barbara Ann to run as a delegate for the presidential convention. Later that year, BA would be elected, and infamously meet her future husband at that convention when her wayward umbrella smacked him in the head.
As the Mayor's wife, she is constantly at her husband's side at events in Cranston, enjoying the city's enormous renaissance under his leadership. Barbara Ann is passionate about confronting many of our area's pressing healthcare issues, including opioid abuse, and serves on the board of the Cranston Substance Abuse Task Force. In September of 2019, she was named Chairwoman of the Providence Committee on Foreign Relations, an organization focusing on international affairs. She has also helped to fundraise for Mentor RI as part of last year's "Dancing with the Stars" event.
Politically, BA has brought her brand of moderate republicanism to the party structure, being elected Chairwoman of the Rhode Island Young Republicans for four years, and serving as the national Executive Director for the YR organization.
Currently, she is finishing her second Master's degree, this time in digital media management, from Arkansas State University. She also earned a Certificate in Emergency Management from Auburn University.
Barbara Ann was one of the "40 Under 40" Providence Business News award winners in 2019, and one of GoLocalProv's "20 to Watch in 2020."
DEVELOPING Story was updated with a statement by Mattiello at 11:00 AM
EDITOR'S NOTE: Barbara Ann Fenton is no relations to GoLocal CEO and co-founder Josh Fenton
