Incumbent Republican Ken Hopkins won Cranston’s mayoral election last night with 51.6% of the vote. During his victory speech at the fluorescent-lit St. Mary’s Feast Society, Hopkins focused on thanking all of his fellow Republicans for their support and for running in other local races. Voters in Cranston said they appreciated that Hopkins prioritized lower […]
ken hopkins
Posted inLocal, Politics
A rare Republican winning streak is on the line in Cranston mayoral race
On a recent weekday afternoon, Democrat Robert Ferri made his way on foot through a residential neighborhood near Garden City, dropping campaign fliers in mail boxes and looking for voters to talk about his run for mayor of Cranston. “Hi, how are you?” he asked a woman answering her door. “Good,” she responded in a […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for Sept. 13, 2024
Say it with me now: triskaidekaphobia. 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 your inbox every Friday? Just sign up right here. *** STORY OF THE WEEK: For all the yak about cranky Rhode Islanders […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
Hopkins cruises to victory over Fenton-Fung in Cranston
In the marquee race of Rhode Island’s 2024 primary, Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins scored a commanding victory over GOP rival state Rep. Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung, as voters rejected her argument that the city needed change. Unofficial results showed Hopkins winning 58.5% of the vote, compared with 41.5% for Fenton-Fung. Fenton-Fung is married to longtime former […]
Posted inPolitics
GOP contest for Cranston mayor is a race to watch on RI Primary Day
In the marquee race of Rhode Island’s 2024 primary, Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins is facing a GOP challenge from state Rep. Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung. U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat first elected in 2006, is opposed by Michael Costa, who argues it’s time for a change. Polls close at 8 p.m. Tuesday. The winner of […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for Sept. 6, 2024
Happy PVDFest Weekend! 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 your inbox every Friday? Just sign up right here. *** STORY OF THE WEEK: The marquee race in Rhode Island’s primary election on Tuesday is […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
Lawsuit against Hopkins sparks heat in Cranston mayoral race
According to Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins, a lawsuit alleging he took a car without paying for it is baseless, while rival Republican Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung is calling for State Police and the attorney general’s office to review the matter. The Superior Court lawsuit, filed by Davide Broccoli, emerged last week. It charges that Hopkins wrongfully […]
Posted inLocal, Metro Desk, Politics
Cranston Republican mayoral candidates trade accusations of corruption during debate
The two candidates vying for the Republican nomination in the Sept. 10 mayoral primary traded allegations of corruption and debated the finer points of education, homelessness, and the fate of Cranston’s storied recreational pool. Nearly a hundred people turned up for the event in the contentious primary race. Budlong Pool Hopkins defended his decision to […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
Former rival Foulkes tops McKee in Q1 fundraising
Foulkes, a former top executive for CVS Health, remains publicly non-committal about her plans for 2026. But newly filed finance reports show that she raised $203,700 from individual contributors during the first quarter of 2024, bringing her campaign balance to $298,046. McKee’s campaign brought in $104,025 from individuals in the quarter and $18,300 from political […]
Posted inEpisode
Voters considering critical issues in Cranston mayoral race
After 12 years at the helm, Allan Fung is stepping aside as mayor of Cranston because of term limits. Voters are now trying to decide who should be the city’s next chief executive. As Joe Tasca reports, uncertainty surrounding the city budget and school financing are issues voters are weighing in the race as they go to the polls.
