Rhode Island citizens could make historical past Tuesday through electing the state’s first Black representative to Congress or go back the seat closing held through Republicans within the Nineties to a GOP candidate.
Democrat Gabe Amo and Republican Gerry Leonard are vying for Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District seat. The winner will fill the place of work left vacant when former Democratic Rep. David Cicilline stepped down this summer time to transform president and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation.
Amo, 35, grew up in Pawtucket because the son of Ghanaian and Liberian immigrants. He emerged victorious from a crowded Democratic box within the September number one, claiming greater than 32% of the vote.
The former White House aide served within the Obama and Biden administrations, maximum just lately as deputy director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. He additionally served within the management of former Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo.
Amo, who went to Wheaton College and studied public coverage at Oxford University, has stated he used to be impressed through his oldsters. His mom studied nursing and his father opened a liquor retailer partly to be his personal boss.
Amo stated he would struggle in opposition to what he described as “extremist” Republican makes an attempt to slash investment for Social Security and Medicare, paintings to legalize abortion rights national and make stronger regulation on the federal stage to battle local weather exchange. He additionally stated he would push to ban assault-style firearms, make stronger investment for analysis into gun violence prevention on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and put in force common background assessments.
His win would mark an ongoing transition from the state’s Italian-American political hierarchy, embodied through the overdue Vincent “Buddy” Cianci, Providence’s charismatic longtime mayor who went to jail for corruption.
Leonard, a Marine veteran and political newcomer, is hoping to reclaim the seat for the GOP within the closely Democratic state. The closing Republican to constitute the district used to be Ron Machtley, who served from 1989-1995.
Leonard has stated he believes Americans understand how to reside their lives higher than bureaucrats {and professional} politicians do.
He has criticized “Bidenomics,” pronouncing Democratic President Joe Biden’s financial plan hasn’t helped bizarre voters, and stated he favors a extra restricted executive. He has additionally stated he would again U.S. efforts to assist Ukraine in its struggle in opposition to Russia however he thinks there will have to be transparent targets and an go out technique.
Leonard additionally stated he believes states will have to be answerable for making regulations on abortion, consistent with the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling closing 12 months that overturned constitutional protections for abortion established in Roe v. Wade.
Leonard describes himself as a Thirteenth-generation Rhode Islander whose ancestors fled England to get away non secular persecution. He attended public faculties and graduated from North Kingstown High in 1983.
He moved on to a 30-year profession within the Marine Corps that integrated more than one out of the country deployments — together with battle excursions in Kuwait, Somalia, Iraq, and Afghanistan — as an infantry and reconnaissance officer, Leonard stated. He lives in Jamestown and graduated from the Naval War College.
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