Dominick Ruggerio won re-election as president of the Rhode Island Senate Tuesday, as the General Assembly met for the first time in 2025, although almost a third of senators did not support Ruggerio amid ongoing questions about his health. Ruggerio, 76, won another two-year term in one of the two top leadership positions on a […]
Dominick Ruggerio
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for Jan. 3, 2025
It’s a shiny new year, brimming with possibilities. You can follow me through the week on Bluesky, threads and X. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Just sign up right here. *** 1. STORY OF THE WEEK: The Rhode Island Senate remains the more fractious of Smith […]
Posted inPolitical Roundtable, Politics
Sen. Ryan Pearson on what’s next for the RI Senate after a split in calls for new leadership
Ryan Pearson’s term as the second-ranking member of the Rhode Island Senate will formally end Tuesday. During a Democratic Senate caucus in November, Pearson lost a challenge to Senate President Dominick Ruggerio, and Senate Whip Val Lawson won the support to take over Pearson’s role in the legislative session starting next week. More fallout is expected. All this comes as legislators will wrestle with a big budget deficit and thorny issues including housing, healthcare and the economy. Pearson and his supporters say they were motivated by how Ruggerio, now 76, missed large parts of the last session due to various health issues. But was it a smart play to pursue the challenge against Rhode Island’s longest-serving lawmaker, and will that hurt the Senate’s ability to get things done in the new session?
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for Nov. 8, 2024
With the 2024 election in the books, we’re on the fast-track to the holidays … and the quiet phase of a statewide election looming in 2026. Welcome back to my weekly column. You can follow me through the week on threads and what we used to call the twitters. Here we go. *** Want to […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
Divided RI Senate caucus backs Ruggerio continuing as president
Rhode Island Senate President Dominick Ruggerio received a strong vote of confidence Thursday during a Democratic caucus to continue in the top job in the chamber, although some senators said concerns about Ruggerio’s health and his ability to lead could remain an ongoing issue. Ahead of a formal vote when the General Assembly starts a […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for Nov. 1, 2024
It’s weeks like this when you think about all the political grist to be sent up if only the Providence Newspaper Guild Follies was still a thing. Welcome back to my weekly column. You can follow me through the week on threads and what we used to call the twitters. Here we go. *** Want […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for Oct. 25, 2024
The bumper crop of autumnal acorns could be used as fill to inch out the borders of the Ocean State. Welcome to the return of my weekly column. You can follow me through the week on threads and what we used to call the twitters. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
Pearson urging fellow RI senators to keep him as majority leader
After losing the support of Senate President Dominick Ruggerio, Senate Majority Leader Ryan Pearson is trying to rally backing from fellow senators to keep him in the chamber’s second-ranking post. Pearson did not respond when asked to identify his level of support from fellow senators. But the Cumberland Democrat reiterated his view that health challenges […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
R.I. Senate President Ruggerio wants to sack his majority leader
After months of speculation, Senate President Dominick Ruggerio has gone public with his support for replacing his number two, Majority Leader Ryan Pearson, with Senate Democratic Whip Val Lawson. “Val is a vital member of our leadership team,” Ruggerio said in a statement. “She has provided valued guidance and leadership on every aspect of the […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for Sept. 27, 2024
There is so much pent-up demand for retelling the tale of the secret apartment at Providence Place that it could be a growth industry for Rhode Island (who needs Hasbro?). You can follow me through the week on threads and what we used to call the twitters. Here we go. *** Want to get my […]
