Biden aide triumphs in Rhode Island primary for US Congress vacancy.
In a Surprise Upset, Former White House Aide Gabriel Amo Wins Rhode Island’s Special Primary
In a surprising turn of events, Gabriel Amo, a former White House aide to both the Biden and Obama administrations, has emerged as the Democratic winner in Rhode Island’s special primary for an open seat in U.S. Congress. This seat was unexpectedly left behind by one of the most liberal congressmen in Washington politics.
Out of the 11 Democrats competing for the 1st Congressional District seat, Amo pulled ahead of frontrunner Aaron Regunberg, securing an 8 percent lead with 90 percent of precincts reporting their voting results. It’s worth noting that Regunberg had the backing of both U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Bernie Sanders.
Amo, a 36-year-old son of Liberian immigrants, ran on a platform focused on gun control legislation. He previously served as the deputy director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and special assistant to the president, acting as a liaison between President Joe Biden and locally-elected officials such as mayors.
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Prior to his role in the White House, Amo held the same position under President Barack Obama. In Rhode Island, he served as Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo’s principal adviser.
Despite being considered the least liberal among the left-wing lineup of Democratic candidates, Amo managed to outshine Regunberg, who was criticized by the Rhode Island Chapter of the Democrat Socialists of America for not being left enough.
During his campaign, Regunberg emphasized his support for Planned Parenthood, called for increased protection of the LGBT community, and advocated for U.S. Supreme Court reform.
In endorsing Regunberg, Bernie Sanders highlighted the need for someone in Congress who would fight against powerful special interests, address student loan debt, combat corporate greed, and propose solutions to climate change.
Amo will be replacing David Cicilline, who championed a federal Transgender Bill of Rights during his eight-year tenure in Congress. Cicilline recently announced his resignation to assume the role of president at the Rhode Island Foundation, the state’s largest fundraising organization.
The 1st Congressional District includes Newport, known for its opulent mansions and its history as a Kennedy romping ground. It was even referred to as the Summer White House during President John F. Kennedy’s administration.
Finishing in a surprising fourth place behind Amo was Rhode Island Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos, who was considered a close second to Regunberg. Both candidates faced allegations of unethical campaign practices against each other in the final weeks of the campaign.
Regunberg is currently under investigation for a $119,000 campaign contribution made by a super PAC created by his father-in-law. Federal election laws prohibit candidates from soliciting more than $5,000 from super PACs. Regunberg denies any knowledge or involvement in his father-in-law’s contribution.
Matos, on the other hand, faced scrutiny after unauthorized signatures and signatures of deceased individuals were found among the 1,526 signatures she collected on her nomination papers.
On the Republican side, only two candidates competed for the seat. Gerry Leonard, a retired U.S. Marine colonel who served for 30 years, took an early lead over Terry Flynn, a former member of Middletown’s planning board and town council. Leonard focused his campaign on opposing “Bidenomics” and reducing the national debt.
While Leonard’s victory is expected to be short-lived in the politically blue state of Rhode Island, there is always room for surprises. Allan Fung, a Rhode Island attorney specializing in fiscal management and public policy law, nearly became the first Republican New Englander sent to Washington in years during the 2022 midterm elections. He fell short by less than 4 percent of the vote.
Although liberal views still dominate Rhode Island politics, Fung, who is Asian American, believes that a shift towards middle-of-the-road politics is possible.
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