Gabe Amo has won the Democratic primary for the 1st Congressional District. If he wins in November, he would be the first person of color elected to Congressional office in Rhode Island. Click here to read more about Amo’s groundbreaking win.

Updates from Tuesday, Sept. 5:

• 9:05 p.m.: After calling Gabe Amo to concede the race, Aaron Regunberg speaks to his supporters: “We stayed above the fray, and focused on the issues that matter. We stood up for a better world.”

• 8:50 p.m.: Jacob Bissaillon has won the Democratic primary for Rhode Island’s 1st District in the State Senate.
• 8:36 p.m.: BREAKING: Gabe Amo has won the Democratic primary for the 1st Congressional District. He is the first person of color to win such a contest in Rhode Island.

• 8:19 p.m.: Gerry W. Leonard, Jr. has won the Republican primary for Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District.
• 8:18 p.m.: Gabe Amo is leading in the Democratic CD1 race with 33.3% of the vote, and 88% of polling places reporting.
• 8:00 p.m.: Niyoka Powell (unopposed) has won the GOP primary for Rhode Island’s 1st District in the State Senate.
• 8:00 p.m.: The polls have closed. Results are expected to come in quickly.
• 7:45 p.m., via @IanDon on Twitter/X: “A small group of Regunberg supporters is chatting at the Wild Colonial. Grace Jones on the music. Sox on TV. Pizza”. Regunberg is a former State House representative.
• 7:40 p.m.: The view from State Sen. Sandra Cano’s campaign camp at the Atrium in Pawtucket. After first winning election to the Pawtucket school committee, then the city council, in 2018 Cano was elected to State Senate.

• 7:37 p.m.: Gabe Amo’s campaign is posting up in The Barn at The Guild Brewing Co. in Pawtucket. Amo most recently worked as President Biden’s liaison to mayors.

• 7:30 p.m.: Voter turnout has topped 40,000, marking a 10.8% turnout. The number includes mail ballots, early votes, and election day votes.
• 6:37 p.m.: With just under an hour and a half before the polls close, the Democratic frontrunners are rallying in their respective camps. Aaron Regunberg’s supporters are gathering at the Wild Colonial in Providence. Gabe Amo’s team is at the Guild in Pawtucket. Sandra Cano’s forces are at the Atrium on Main in Pawtucket. Sabina Matos’ campaign is gathering at Chelo’s on Silver Spring in Providence.
• 4:26 p.m.: Vote has topped 30,000 – an 8.1% turnout – with a little more than three and a half hours until polls close.
• Ian Donnis: If Sabina Matos can pull a win out tonight, it will be a stunning victory. Conversely, if Matos lags in the field, she will likely face more competition in the next statewide election. Of course, regardless of who wins the primary and the CD1 general election in November, that candidate will face re-election next year, helped to some degree by the benefit of incumbency.
• Ian Donnis: The special off-year election has been marked by three distinct phases: 1) an early listlessness marked by an absence of issue-based discussion (despite one story that none of Matos’ rivals picked up on); 2) the weeks-long coverage of the signature controversy, with rhetorical crossfire among various campaigns; 3) the race to the finish, with campaigns shifting into GOTV mode and Gabe Amo pressing his case. Another quirk has been the absence of endorsements by a host of prominent top Democrats, including Gov. Dan McKee and House Speaker Joe Shekarchi, and their counterparts in Massachusetts.

Election progress

Reporting contributed by Political Reporter Ian Donnis @IanDon, who can be reached at idonnis@thepublicsradio.org, Metro Desk Reporter Olivia Ebertz @oliviaebertz, who can be reached at olivia@thepublicsradio.org, and Daily Editor Mareva Lindo @marevaraves, who can be reached at mlindo@thepublicsradio.org.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this article incorrectly indicated that Gabe Amo was the first person of color elected to Congress in Rhode Island. It has since been edited to reflect that he is the first person of color to win a Democratic Congressional primary in Rhode Island.