Rhode Island is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Island Sound; and shares a small maritime border with New York, east of Long Island. Rhode Island is the smallest U.S. state by area and the seventh-least populous, with slightly fewer than 1.1 million residents as of 2020; but it has grown at every decennial count since 1790 and is the second-most densely populated state, after New Jersey. The state takes its name from the eponymous island, though nearly all its land area is on the mainland. Providence is its capital and most populous city.
David Nicola Cicilline is an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Rhode Island's 1st congressional district from 2011 to 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the 36th mayor of Providence from 2003 to 2011, the first openly gay mayor of a U.S. state capital.
Gordon Dennis Fox is an American attorney and politician from Providence, Rhode Island. He served formerly as the Speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives, before resigning in disgrace. A member of the Democratic Party, he was first elected to the legislature in 1992. On June 11, 2015 Fox was sentenced to three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges including bribery, fraud, and filing a false tax return.
Same-sex marriage has been legally recognized in Rhode Island since August 1, 2013. The state had authorized a limited form of domestic partnerships from 2002 to 2011 and the formation of civil unions from 2011 until the state began recognizing same-sex marriages in 2013. Rhode Island was the last U.S. state in New England to legalize same-sex marriage.
Prostitution in Rhode Island was outlawed in 2009. On November 3, 2009, Republican Governor Donald Carcieri signed into law a bill which makes the buying and selling of sexual services a crime.
The Moderate Party of Rhode Island is the third-largest contemporary political party in the U.S. state of Rhode Island, after the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The Moderate Party of Rhode Island gained official party status and ballot access via a federal lawsuit and the gathering of 34,000 signatures on August 18, 2009. However, following the 2018 gubernatorial election, the party lost official status.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in the U.S. state of Rhode Island have the same legal rights as non-LGBT people. Rhode Island established two types of major relationship recognition for same-sex couples, starting with civil unions on July 1, 2011, and then on August 1, 2013 with same-sex marriage. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity is outlawed within the state namely in the areas of employment, housing, healthcare and public accommodations. In addition, conversion therapy on minors has been banned since 2017.
Seth Michael Magaziner is an American investment professional and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Rhode Island's 2nd congressional district since 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 31st General Treasurer of Rhode Island from 2015 until 2023. Magaziner won the November 2022 election to succeed retiring representative James Langevin.
Teresa Ann Tanzi is an American politician and a Democratic member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives representing District 34 since January 2011. Outside of working in government, Tanzi also works as a realtor.
Patricia L. Morgan is an American politician and Republican member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives representing district 26 since 2021. She formerly represented district 26 from 2011 until 2019, where she chose not to run again. She became the first female minority leader of the Rhode Island House of Representatives in 2017, after she was chosen by the Republican caucus members on November 15, 2016, when former minority leader Brian Newberry stepped down from the position.
John J. DeSimone is an American politician, a former Democratic member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives who represented House District 6 from January 1993 until January 2003 and District 5 from January 2003 to January 2017. DeSimone was narrowly defeated in the 2016 Democratic primary by progressive candidate Marcia Ranglin-Vassell, ending his 24 year tenure in the General Assembly.
Peter Franz Neronha is an American lawyer and politician from Jamestown, Rhode Island who currently serves as the attorney general of Rhode Island. He previously served as the United States attorney for the District of Rhode Island under President Barack Obama from September 16, 2009 until March 10, 2017, after which he ran successfully as a Democrat for the office of Attorney General of Rhode Island in the 2018 elections.
The 2018 Rhode Island gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2018, to elect the Governor of Rhode Island, concurrently with the election of Rhode Island's Class I U.S. Senate seat, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections.
Julie A. Casimiro is an American politician who has served as a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives since 2017. Casimiro, a member of the Democratic Party, represents District 31, which includes portions of North Kingstown and Exeter. Casimiro was first elected to the chamber on November 8, 2016, and assumed office on January 3, 2017.
Terri-Denise Cortvriend is an American politician, businesswoman, pilot, and yacht captain. She is a democratic member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives, and before that served as a member of the Portsmouth School Committee.
David Morales is an American politician and activist. He is the state representative in the Rhode Island House of Representatives for the 7th district. A member of the Democratic Party, Morales took office in January 2021 with support from the Democratic Socialists of America, the Working Families Party, the Sunrise Movement, and other progressive organizations. At 25, he is currently the youngest member of the Rhode Island State Legislature and is the youngest Latino state lawmaker in the country.
Nathan W. Biah Sr. is an American politician and educator who serves in the Rhode Island House of Representatives for the 3rd district.
Carol Hagan McEntee is an American politician and a Democratic member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives, representing District 33 since 2015.
Kathleen A. Fogarty is an American politician currently serving as a Democratic member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives, representing the 35th House District since 2015.
Laurence W. Ehrahrdt is an American politician and former member of the Rhode Island General Assembly. A Republican, Ehrhardt represented the town of North Kingstown, Rhode Island in the Rhode Island House of Representatives from 2005 until 2013.
