United States House of Representatives elections in Rhode Island, 2010
Encyclopedia
The 2010 congressional elections in Rhode Island were held on November 2, 2010, and determined who would represent Rhode Island
in the United States House of Representatives
. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; the elected served in the 112th Congress
from January 3, 2011 until January 3, 2013.
Rhode Island has two seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States Census. Its 2009-2010 congressional delegation consisted of two Democrats, and following the election, it stayed with two Democrats.
decided not to run for a ninth term in Congress in this solidly liberal district based in northern and eastern Rhode Island, creating an open seat.
David Cicilline
, the Mayor of Providence
, defeated Anthony Gemma, State Representative
David Segal, and former Rhode Island Democratic Party Chairman Bill Lynch in the Democratic primary, while State Representative
John Loughlin
emerged as the Republican nominee. An aggressive campaign ensued, with Cicilline attacking Loughlin for wanting to privatize Social Security
, a claim that Loughlin dismissed as one that "couldn’t be further from the truth." Loughlin blasted Cicilline for creating "a $70 million deficit for the next mayor to deal with," which Cicilline attributed to budget cuts made by the Rhode Island General Assembly
.
The Providence Journal, praising Cicilline for being "an honest, energetic, and often innovative mayor," and criticizing Loughlin for "reacting...favorably to the collection of fiscal contradictions known as the House Republicans' 'Pledge to America,'" endorsed Cicilline, calling him a “highly competent public servant.”
In the end, a surprisingly close race emerged in what should have been an easy win for Cicilline, or any Democratic candidate. Though Cicilline won in the end and was sent to Washington
for his first term, it was only by a six-point, 10,000 vote margin of victory.
has represented this liberal district based in southern and western Rhode Island
since he was first elected in 2000. Langevin has maintained considerable popularity in this largely supportive constituency, and did not face a real threat to his re-election from his 2008 opponent, Republican Mark Zaccaria. In the general election, Langevin was re-elected by an overwhelming margin, defeating Zaccaria and independent candidate John Matson, who garnered an impressive eight percent of the vote.
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; the elected served in the 112th Congress
112th United States Congress
The One Hundred Twelfth United States Congress is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It convened in Washington, D.C. on January 3, 2011, and will end on January...
from January 3, 2011 until January 3, 2013.
Rhode Island has two seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States Census. Its 2009-2010 congressional delegation consisted of two Democrats, and following the election, it stayed with two Democrats.
Overview
| United States House of Representatives elections in Rhode Island, 2010 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Seats | +/– | |
| Democratic | 185,711 | 55.36% | 2 | — | |
| Republican | 126,951 | 37.84% | 0 | — | |
| Independents | 22,822 | 6.80% | 0 | — | |
| Totals | 335,484 | 100.00% | 2 | — | |
District 1
Campaign
Incumbent Democratic Congressman Patrick J. KennedyPatrick J. Kennedy
Patrick Joseph Kennedy II is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1995 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes all of Bristol County and Newport County, and parts of Providence County. Kennedy did not seek re-election in 2010.A member of the Kennedy...
decided not to run for a ninth term in Congress in this solidly liberal district based in northern and eastern Rhode Island, creating an open seat.
David Cicilline
David Cicilline
David Nicola Cicilline is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Democratic Party. He is formerly the Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, and was the first openly gay mayor of a U.S. state capital.-Early life, education, and career:...
, the Mayor of Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, defeated Anthony Gemma, State Representative
Rhode Island House of Representatives
The Rhode Island House of Representatives is the lower house of the Rhode Island General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Rhode Island. It is composed of 75 members, elected to two year terms from 75 districts of equal population. The Rhode Island General Assembly does not have...
David Segal, and former Rhode Island Democratic Party Chairman Bill Lynch in the Democratic primary, while State Representative
Rhode Island House of Representatives
The Rhode Island House of Representatives is the lower house of the Rhode Island General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Rhode Island. It is composed of 75 members, elected to two year terms from 75 districts of equal population. The Rhode Island General Assembly does not have...
John Loughlin
John J. Loughlin, Jr.
John J. Loughlin, Jr. is an American politician who is a Republican member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives, representing the 71st District since 2005. During the 2009-2010 sessions he served on the Hose Committees on Labor and Veterans Affairs, and he also served as minority whip...
emerged as the Republican nominee. An aggressive campaign ensued, with Cicilline attacking Loughlin for wanting to privatize Social Security
Social Security (United States)
In the United States, Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program.The original Social Security Act and the current version of the Act, as amended encompass several social welfare and social insurance programs...
, a claim that Loughlin dismissed as one that "couldn’t be further from the truth." Loughlin blasted Cicilline for creating "a $70 million deficit for the next mayor to deal with," which Cicilline attributed to budget cuts made by the Rhode Island General Assembly
Rhode Island General Assembly
The State of Rhode Island General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. A bicameral body, it is composed of the lower Rhode Island House of Representatives with 75 representatives, and the upper Rhode Island Senate with 38 senators...
.
The Providence Journal, praising Cicilline for being "an honest, energetic, and often innovative mayor," and criticizing Loughlin for "reacting...favorably to the collection of fiscal contradictions known as the House Republicans' 'Pledge to America,'" endorsed Cicilline, calling him a “highly competent public servant.”
In the end, a surprisingly close race emerged in what should have been an easy win for Cicilline, or any Democratic candidate. Though Cicilline won in the end and was sent to Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
for his first term, it was only by a six-point, 10,000 vote margin of victory.
Polling
| Poll Source | Dates Administered | Democratic nominee | Republican nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Cicilline | John Loughlin | ||
| WJAR Channel 10 | October 4-6, 2010 | 47% | 36% |
| WPRI-TV | October 1-3, 2010 | 48% | 29% |
| Brown University | September 27-29, 2010 | 39% | 30% |
| Quest Research | September 15-17, 2010 | 49% | 26% |
Results
District 2
Campaign
Democratic Congressman James LangevinJames Langevin
James R. Langevin is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life and education:Langevin was born in Providence, Rhode Island...
has represented this liberal district based in southern and western Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
since he was first elected in 2000. Langevin has maintained considerable popularity in this largely supportive constituency, and did not face a real threat to his re-election from his 2008 opponent, Republican Mark Zaccaria. In the general election, Langevin was re-elected by an overwhelming margin, defeating Zaccaria and independent candidate John Matson, who garnered an impressive eight percent of the vote.
Polling
| Poll Source | Dates Administered | Democratic nominee | Republican nominee | Independent candidate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Langevin | Mark Zaccaria | John Matson | ||
| WJAR Channel 10 | October 4-6, 2010 | 65% | 26% | 3% |
| WPRI-TV | October 1-3, 2010 | 54% | 24% | — |
| Brown University | September 27-29, 2010 | 47% | 14% | |
| Quest Research | September 15-17, 2010 | 54% | 20% |
Results
External links
- Rhode Island Board of Elections
- U.S. Congress candidates for Rhode Island at Project Vote SmartProject Vote SmartProject Vote Smart is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States...
- Rhode Island U.S. House from OurCampaigns.com
- Campaign contributions for Rhode Island congressional races from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
- 2010 Rhode Island General Election graph of multiple polls from Pollster.com
- House - Rhode Island from the Cook Political ReportCook Political ReportThe Cook Political Report is an independent, non-partisan online newsletter that analyzes elections and campaigns for the United States House of Representatives, the United States Senate, Governor's offices and the American Presidency. The Cook Political Report is led by a staff of five...