Times-Gazette: Speakman handily defeats Ruggiero in District 68 primary

Warren resident carried 73 percent of vote in Bristol-heavy district

By TED HAYES | thayes@eastbaynewspapers.com

Riding a wave of progressive momentum, Warren resident June Speakman handily defeated Richard Ruggiero in last Tuesday's District 68 Democratic primary, earning 652 votes to Mr. Ruggiero's 238. The result came in a House of Representatives district made up of 70 percent Bristol residents, and marked the first win there for a Warren resident. Ms. Speakman carried 73 percent of the vote.

Ms. Speakman, who championed former District 68 representative-elect Laufton Ascencao in last year's General Election, decided to run for the House seat after failing in her bid to win a Warren Town Council seat last November, and after her former colleague was caught lying to her and others on the Warren Democratic Town Committee last December.

Following Ms. Ascencao's decision to cede the seat, Ms. Speakman picked up the progressive mantle he had carried to a large victory last November, promising throughout her well-organized campaign this past month to fight for the issues she believes most Rhode Islanders stand for - sensible gun control, environmental causes and reproductive rights and affordable housing, among others. She will face Independents Kenneth Marshall of Bristol and James McCanna of Warren, as well as Warren Libertarian William Hunt Jr. of Warren, in the March 5 special election.

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Courtesy of the Times-Gazette