Gabe Amo, a former White House aide during the Obama and Biden administrations, defeated a crowded Democratic field in a special primary election for Rhode Island鈥檚 1st U.S. Congressional District Tuesday night.
With 90% of precincts reporting Tuesday night, Amo led at 32.5% of the vote, former state Rep. Aaron Regunberg 鈥�12 trailed in second with 24.9% of the vote. State Sen. Sandra Cano (D - Pawtucket) was in a distant third at 13.9%.
Almost 40,000 people 鈥� nearly 12% of registered voters 鈥� voted in the district, which covers the eastern part of the state from Woonsocket to Newport, excluding much of western Providence.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 have a lot of words,鈥� Amo in a speech after the race was called. 鈥淚t is not lost on me that I stand on the shoulders of giants, of so many who paved the road before me.鈥�
鈥淚 ran for Congress because I believe Rhode Islanders deserve someone who can be effective from day one to address some of the critical needs of this country,鈥� he added
The Congressional seat opened up after longtime Rep. David Cicilline 鈥�83 announced in February he would vacate his congressional seat in order to lead the Rhode Island Foundation as president and CEO. Cicilline departed Congress in June.
Amo, in Pawtucket and the child of Ghanaian and Liberian immigrants, will now face former U.S. Marine Corps officer Gerry Leonard Jr., a Republican, in the general special election Nov. 7. The 1st District鈥檚 demographics make Amo a heavy favorite in that race 鈥斅� registered Democrats in the district registered Republicans more than three to one.
If Amo wins again in November, he would be the first person of color to represent Rhode Island in Congress. Tuesday鈥檚 primary had the field of candidates in the state鈥檚 history, according to The Boston Globe.
The result of the primary is also a win for the moderate wing of the Democratic party. Amo fended off the more progressive Regunberg, who was endorsed by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont) and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York). Amo鈥檚 endorsements included former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, who represented the 1st District from 1995 to 2011, and Ron Klain, President Joe Biden鈥檚 previous White House chief of staff.
The race suffered from a lack of independent polling, making it difficult to discern potential front-runners. An internal poll from Amo鈥檚 campaign released late August put Regunberg in the lead at 27.9% of the vote with Amo in second at 19.1%, but some its methodology.
Amo emphasized his national political experience throughout the campaign. During the Obama administration, Amo worked in the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. He was also appointed by then-Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo to serve as director of public engagement and community affairs. Under Biden, Amo returned to the White House as deputy director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Special Assistant to the President.
James Fennessy, part of a late afternoon post-work trickle of voters at the Fox Point Boys and Girls Club, said he voted for Amo because of his 鈥渟ecure鈥� background. He said he worried that more progressive candidates wouldn鈥檛 be effective in office.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have any one priority. I just want somebody who鈥檚 gonna get something done,鈥� Fennessy said. 鈥淵ou have to be in the middle somewhere.鈥�
Jacob Smollen is a Metro editor covering city and state politics and co-editor of the Bruno Brief. He is a junior from Philadelphia studying International and Public Affairs.
