The Republican primary in the special election for Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District was won by Gerry Leonard, a Republican who had previously opposed former President Donald Trump.
Terri Flynn, a former member of the town council, was defeated by Leonard On Tuesday, who held a lead of more than 50%. He has also received the Rhode Island GOP’s endorsement.
In order to take up his position at the Rhode Island Foundation, former Rep. David Cicilline (D) resigned, necessitating the calling of a special election to fill his seat.
Leonard, a veteran, will run against Democratic candidate, former White House adviser Gabe Amo in the main election. November 7 is the election day, and historically, the Democratic candidates have performed better in the state.
Since Rep. Ron Machtley held the office from 1989 to 1995, if Leonard succeeds in winning the general election, he will become the 1st Republican Representative for the 1st Congressional District in almost three decades.
After his recent week, Leonard said in a statement to The Associated Press that he was eager to meet with Rhode Islanders and share his story and plans for the state. He continued that they must start sending leaders to Washington who prioritize principles above politics. He also noted that this is a message that appeals to voters.
“Tell them my story and tell them what I intend to do for the state,” he noted. “We need to start sending leaders to Washington D.C. that put principles before politics and service before self. That message will resonate.”
This is comparable to the statements made by Leonard in a recent interview where he attacked Trump.
“I believe there’s nobody that’s above the law in the United States,” Leonard said to a query about Trump from NBC 10 in early August, just after the former president had been charged for the third time. He did point out that Trump is entitled to due process.
When asked if he backs Trump in his bid to retake the presidency, Leonard responded that he believes “there’s plenty of good candidates, great candidates, on the Republican side.”
