Primary Outlook: Women Candidates in Rhode Island

September 3, 2018September 3, 2018

Ahead of the Rhode Island primary election on September 12, 2018, we outline the numbers and proportions of women who have filed as candidates for congressional and statewide office. The data below also provide points of historical comparison to give context to today’s presence and potential success of women candidates.

All data are provided from the Center for American Women and Politics, Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University. For a full list of the women candidates in Rhode Island primary races for congressional and statewide offices, see CAWP’s Election Watch page.

CONGRESS

Current: 0 of 4 members of the Rhode Island congressional delegation (0%)
Filed: 1 (1D)
Percent of all Filed Congressional Candidates (D/R): 10% (1 of 10)

SENATE

Current: 0 of 2 senators

  • No woman has ever served in the U.S. Senate from Rhode Island.

Filed: 1 (1D)

  • Patricia Fontes is challenging incumbent Senator Sheldon Whitehouse for the Democratic nomination.

Percent of all Filed Senate Candidates (D/R): 25% (1 of 4)
Percent of all Filed Democratic Senate Candidates:  50% (1 of 2)
Percent of all Filed Republican Senate Candidates: 0% (0 of 2)

HOUSE

Current: 0 of 2 representatives (0%)

  • Just one woman has ever served in the U.S. House from Rhode Island: Claudine Schneider (R) from 1981-1991.

Filed:  0

  • Rhode Island is the only state to have no women candidates filed to run for the U.S. House this year.

Districts with Women Candidates:  0 of 2
Percent of all Filed House Candidates (D/R):  0% (0 of 6)
Percent of all Filed Democratic House Candidates:  0% (0 of 3)
Percent of all Filed Republican House Candidates: 0% (0 of 3)

GOVERNOR

Current: 1
Governor Gina Raimondo is the first woman governor of Rhode Island. She is running for re-election this year.

Filed:  2 (1D, 1R)

  • In addition to incumbent Governor Gina Raimondo, Republican Patricia Morgan is running for governor this year. She is seeking the Republican nomination to challenge Raimondo this fall.

Percent of all Filed Gubernatorial Candidates (D/R):  33.3% (2 of 6)
Percent of all Filed Democratic House Candidates:  33.3% (1 of 3)
Percent of all Filed Republican House Candidates: 33.3% (1 of 3)

OTHER STATEWIDE ELECTED EXECUTIVE OFFICES

Current: 1 (1D) of 4 positions (excludes governor) (25%)

  • Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea (D), the first Latina elected statewide in Rhode Island, is running for re-election this year.

Filed:  1 (1D)

  • Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea (D) is the only woman candidate for statewide elected executive office other than governor in Rhode Island in 2018.
  • There are no women candidates for attorney general, lieutenant governor, or state treasurer.

Percent of all Filed Statewide Executive (other than governor) Candidates (D/R): 12.5% (1 of 8)
Percent of all Filed Democratic Statewide Executive (other than governor) Candidates: 20% (1 of 5)
Percent of all Filed Republican Statewide Executive (other than governor) Candidates: 0% (0 of 3)