Redistricting makes a big change in Block Island
By Will Collette
Since 1996, Block Island has been well served by Sen. Susan Sosowski. For many of those years, Sue was teamed up with Charlestown's Donna Walsh and the two of them often worked as a team for Block Island and generally on environmental and other South County issues.
Alana DiMario (from UpRiseRI)
But in 2014, Donna was defeated by Blake "Flip" Filippi who claimed at the time that he was an independent (though he wasn't) and a Block Island native (which may or may not be true). Flip eventually came out as a Republican and is now the House Minority Leader, presiding over his small band of Trumplicans.
This year, Block Islanders are losing Sen. Sue as their Senator as the electoral map has changed and moved Block Island from Senate District 37 to Senate District 36, which is represented by freshman Democrat Alana M. DiMario who won the seat after the decision by Sen. James Sheehan not to seek re-election.
The state is required by law to conduct re-districting right after getting the results of the US Census. Each House and Senate district is required to have roughly equal numbers.
DiMario ran as a progressive and is strong on environmental issues, gun control and choice.
Unfortunately for Block Island, they continue to be represented by Flip Filippi but maybe that will change in the November election.