Jacob ("Jake") Bissaillon | |
---|---|
Member of the Rhode Island Senate from the 1st district | |
Assumed office December 8, 2023 | |
Preceded by | Maryellen Goodwin |
Personal details | |
Born | April 6,1987 |
Nationality | American |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Kim Bissaillon |
Residence | Providence,Rhode Island |
Alma mater | Providence College Roger Williams University |
Jake Bissaillon (April 6,1987) is an American politician from Providence,Rhode Island.
Bissaillon was born on April 6,1987,to Ernie and Ellen Bissaillon,both of whom are teachers. He graduated from St. John's Preparatory School in 2005 before earning his bachelor's degree from Providence College in 2009,and his MBA degree in 2010. He finished his education at Roger Williams University,where he got a Juris Doctor degree,and was allowed to practice law in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. [1]
Bissaillon's political involvement started while he was in college during the 2008 presidential election where he helped to organize young Democrats at Providence College. [1] [2]
In 2016 Bissaillon returned to politics as a staffer for the Senate Majority Leader Michael McCaffrey. He focused his efforts during this time on criminal justice reform doing research to help write new bills. [3]
In 2021 Bissaillon became the chief of staff for Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio. [1]
In 2023 when Sen. Maryellen Goodwin passed away Bissaillon decided to run in the special election. He won by a 66% margin over his Republican opponent Niyoka Powell. After this win,he quit his job as Chief of Staff to Sen. Ruggerio. And got a new job as the CEO of Justice Assistance a non-profit helping people through criminal justice proceedings. [3]
Source: [4]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jake Bissaillon | 752 | 53.4% | |
Democratic | Nathan Biah | 344 | 24.4% | |
Democratic | Michelle Rivera | 268 | 19.0% | |
Democratic | Mario Mancebo | 45 | 3.2% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jake Bissaillon | 904 | 82.8% | |
Republican | Niyoka Powell | 179 | 16.4% | |
Other | Write in | 9 | 0.8% |
Claiborne de Borda Pell was an American politician and writer who served as a U.S. Senator from Rhode Island for six terms from 1961 to 1997. He was the sponsor of the 1972 bill that reformed the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant,which provides financial aid funding to American college students;the grant was given Pell's name in 1980 in honor of his work in education legislation.
John Francis Reed is an American lawyer and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Rhode Island,a seat he was first elected to in 1996. A member of the Democratic Party,he was the U.S. representative for Rhode Island's 2nd congressional district from 1991 to 1997. Reed graduated from the United States Military Academy and Harvard University,serving in the U.S. Army as an active officer from 1971 to 1979. He is the dean of Rhode Island's congressional delegation.
James Howard McGrath was an American politician and attorney from Rhode Island. McGrath,a Democrat,served as U.S. Attorney for Rhode Island before becoming governor,U.S. Solicitor General,U.S. Senator,chairman of the Democratic National Committee,and Attorney General of the United States.
John Lester Hubbard Chafee was an American politician and officer in the United States Marine Corps. A member of the Republican Party,he served as the 66th Governor of Rhode Island,as the Secretary of the Navy,and as a United States Senator.
Theodore Foster was an American lawyer and politician from Rhode Island. He was a member of the Federalist Party and later the National Republican Party. He served as one of the first two United States senators from Rhode Island and,following John Langdon,served as dean of the Senate.
Sheldon Whitehouse is an American lawyer and politician serving as the junior United States senator from Rhode Island since 2007. A member of the Democratic Party,he served as the United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island from 1993 to 1998 and as the 71st attorney general of Rhode Island from 1999 to 2003. In 2006,he won his first term to the Senate,defeating Republican incumbent Lincoln Chaffee. Whitehouse was reelected in 2012,2018,and 2024.
The Rhode Island Senate is the upper house of the Rhode Island General Assembly,the state legislature of the U.S. state of Rhode Island,the lower house being the Rhode Island House of Representatives. It is composed of 38 Senators,each of whom is elected to a two-year term. Rhode Island is one of the 14 states where its upper house serves at a two-year cycle,rather than the normal four-year term as in most states. There is no limit to the number of terms that a Senator may serve. The Rhode Island Senate meets at the Rhode Island State Capitol in Providence.
Kwame Raoul is an American lawyer and politician who has been the 42nd Attorney General of Illinois since 2019. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Frank Licht was an American politician and the 67th Governor of Rhode Island from 1969 to 1973,serving as the first Jewish governor in Rhode Island state history. He was also an associate justice of the Rhode Island Superior Court from 1956 to 1968 and a member of the Rhode Island Senate from 1949 to 1956.
Dominick J. Ruggerio is a Democratic member and president of the Rhode Island Senate,representing the 4th District since 1985. A member of the Senate since 1985,he was previously elected Majority Leader on November 10,2010,having won election to his 14th term in the Senate on November 2,2010. Ruggerio succeeded M. Teresa Paiva-Weed as Senate president after she resigned to take a private sector job. Dominick is from Rhode Island.
Since the Great Depression,Rhode Island politics have been dominated by the Rhode Island Democratic Party,and the state is considered part of the Democrats' "Blue Wall." Democrats have won all but four presidential elections since 1928,with the exceptions being 1952,1956,1972,and 1984. The Rhode Island Republican Party,although virtually non-existent in the Rhode Island General Assembly,has remained competitive in gubernatorial elections,having won one as recently as 2006. Until 2014,Democrats had not won a gubernatorial election in the state since 1992,and it was not until 2018 that they won one by double digits. The Rhode Island General Assembly has continuously been under Democratic control since 1959.
Ernest C. Torres is a former United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island.
Robert Emmett Craven,Sr. is an American politician and a Democrat in the Rhode Island House of Representatives representing District 32 since January 1,2013. He serves as Chairman of the House Municipal Government Committee and a member of the House Judiciary Committee. Craven also serves on the R.I. Governor's Justice Reinvestment Working Group.
Erin Patricia Lynch Prata is an American politician and an Associate Justice on the Rhode Island Supreme Court. She previously served in the Rhode Island Senate representing District 31 since January 2009. Lynch Prata served as Chairwoman on the Senate Committee on Judiciary,as well as a member of the Senate Committee on Rules,Government Ethics &Oversight and the Senate Committee on Special Legislation &Veterans' Affairs. She focused on issues including public education,economic development,job growth,health care and environmental protection. She was confirmed to be an Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court in December 2020.
Joshua Miller is an American politician who serves as a Democratic member of the Rhode Island Senate representing Cranston District 28 since January 2007.
Harold M. Metts is an American politician and a Democratic member of the Rhode Island Senate representing District 6 since January 2005. After Charles D. Walton,he is the second African American to serve in the Rhode Island Senate. Metts served non-consecutively in the Rhode Island General Assembly from January 1985 until December 31,1998 in the Rhode Island House of Representatives.
Maryellen Goodwin was an American politician and a Democratic member of the Rhode Island Senate representing District 24 since January 2005. Goodwin served consecutively from January 1987 until January 2005 in the District 1 and District 4 seats.
Samuel W. Bell is an American geologist and politician who serves in the Rhode Island State Senate representing the 5th district in Providence. A Democrat,he was first elected to the senate in the 2018 elections,and assumed office in 2019. Bell is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.
Brett P. Smiley is an American politician from Rhode Island. A member of the Democratic Party,he is the mayor of Providence,Rhode Island.
The 2024 Rhode Island State Senate elections took place on Tuesday,November 5,2024. The primary election was held on Tuesday,September 10,2024. Rhode Island voters elected state senators in all 38 seats of the Senate to serve two-year terms.