Will the 2016 election affect some South County districts in 2018?

Trump won 19 districts represented by Democrats

By Bob Plain in Rhode Island’s Future

Will a blue tide in November sweep out Flip Filippi?

Of the 114 legislative districts in Rhode Island, President Donald Trump carried 28 of them. But only nine of those districts sent Republicans to the General Assembly. 

That means there are 19 Democratic legislators who represent districts that voted for Trump in 2016.

The most famous example is House Speaker Nick Mattiello, whose Cranston district voted for Trump 54 percent to 39 percent. 

But Mattiello is far from alone among House leadership in representing districts that voted for Trump.

Majority Leader Joe Sherkarchi’s Warwick district voted for Trump over Clinton 46 percent to 45.4 percent.

House Pro Tempore Brian Kennedy’s district in Westerly/Hopkinton voted for Trump over Clinton 49 percent to 42.6 percent.

And three deputy majority leader’s districts voted for Trump over Clinton: Rep. Greg Costantino’s Johnston/Smithfield district voted for Trump over Clinton 53.4 percent to 39.2 percent.

Rep. Deb Fellala’s Johnston district voted for Trump 53.8 percent to 40.7 percent. Rep. Steve Casey’s Woonsocket district narrowly voted for Trump over Clinton 45.6 percent to 45.5 percent.

The House minority leadership isn’t immune to a similar but opposite dynamic. Both Minority Leader Blake Filippi and Senior Deputy Minority Leader Anthony Giarrusso represent districts that Clinton carried, taking Filippi’s Charlestown/Block Island district 52.2 percent to 38.9 percent.

Clinton won Giarrusso’s East Greenwich district 50.1 percent to 41.7 percent.

There are 12 House Democrats who represent districts Trump won and eight Senators.

There are four House Republicans who represent districts that voted for Clinton and two senators.

This data was compiled by David Caldwell, whose wife Justine Caldwell is running for House District 30 currently held by Giarrusso.

Here are the remaining legislative Democrats who represent districts Trump won, and the Republicans who represent districts Clinton won.

Republicans in Clinton districts:

• Sen Mark Gee, SD35, EG/NK/Narragansett/SK. 50.1% – 41.1%
• Sen Dennis Algiere, SD38, Westerly/Charlestown. 48.2% – 43.3%
• Rep. Ken Mendonca, HD72, Portsmouth 52% – 39.1%
• Rep. Robert Lancia, HD16, 47.6% – 45.7%

Democrats in Trump districts

• Rep. Steve Ucci, HD42, Johnston. 53/3% – 41.1%
• Rep. Cale Keable, HD47, Burrillville/Glocester. 55.9% – 35.3%
• Rep. Pat Serpa, HD27, West Warwick. 47.3% – 45.2%
• Rep. Tom Winfield, HD53, Smithfield. 49.6% – 42.3%
• Rep. Joe Solomon, HD22, Warwick. 46.8% – 44.2%
• Rep. Jared Nunes, HD25, Coventry. 47.4% – 44.1%
• Sen. Hannah Gallo, SD27, Cranston. 47.6% – 45.5$
• Sen. Steve Archambault, SD22, Johnston. 48.8% – 43.4%
• Sen. Frank Lombardi, SD26, Cranston. 50.1% – 44.1%
• Sen Frank Lombardo, SD25, Johnston. 54.3% – 40.4%
• Sen. Lou Raptakis, SD33, EG/WG/Coventry. 51.9% – 40%
• Sen. Adam Satchell, SD09, West Warwick. 46.8% – 45.6%
• Sen. Paul Fogarty, SD23, Burrillville/Glocester. 54.9% – 36.7%

Bob Plain is the editor/publisher of Rhode Island's Future. Previously, he's worked as a reporter for several different news organizations both in Rhode Island and across the country.