Rhode Island Democratic Party


The Rhode Island Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the state of Rhode Island. Joseph McNamara is the chairman of the Party. For the past five decades, the Democratic Party has dominated politics in Rhode Island. The article further discusses the Democratic Party's dominance in Rhode Island politics as well as the elected officials, party leadership and staff, past election results, legislation, and also issue stance.

Democratic Party dominance in Rhode Island

For nearly five decades, Rhode Island has been one of the nation's most solidly Democratic states. Since 1928, it has voted for the Republican presidential candidate only four times and it has elected only two Republicans to the U.S. Senate since 1934. Rhode Island also sent no Republicans to the U.S. House from 1940 until 1980, when one Republican and one Democrat were elected. Also in 1980, Rhode Island was one of only six states to be won by Jimmy Carter. However, in 1984, Republican Edward DiPrete was elected governor and Ronald Reagan narrowly carried the state in the presidential election. In the 2000 presidential election, Democrat Al Gore won 61% of the popular vote. Although, an analysis of Gallup polling data shows the Democratic advantage over the Republican Party in Rhode Island voters has plunged over the last two years. The Democratic advantage over the Republican Party in Rhode Island slid from 37 percentage points in 2008 to 16 points this year, according to Gallup. Rhode Island has gone from being the most Democratic state in the country in 2008 to the 7th most Democratic now.

Elected officials

U.S. Senate

Democrats have controlled both of Rhode Island's seats in the U.S. Senate since 2006:
Out of the 2 seats Rhode Island is apportioned in the U.S. House of Representatives, both are held by Democrats:
Democrats control all five of the elected statewide offices:
The Rhode Island Democratic Party leadership as of 2018 is as follows.

State committee officers

2016 General Election http://wpri.com/election-results/
President
Hillary Clinton 227,062 54% vote
Donald Trump 166,454 39% vote

Representative in Congress District 1

U.S. Senator

Representative in Congress District 2

President

President

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

On August 1, 2017, Rhode Island Democratic Party Chairman Joseph M. McNamara issued the following statement regarding President Trump's to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals nationally, effective March 5, 2018:
"This is a nation built on the strength of its immigrants," said Chair McNamara. "Every sector of our economy, every part of our culture has benefited by welcoming folks from across the globe. Turning our backs now on the children and young people who have made America their home would be heartless and cruel, and it would cause unnecessary pain to families, neighborhoods and our economy," he said. "This is not who we are. I applaud the actions of Attorney General Kilmartin and our nation's Attorney Generals and our Democratic Congress in urging the President to preserve DACA."