Recounts confirm winners in three close state legislative races
Leading candidates prevailed in all three state legislative races recounted by the state elections board.
The final tallies, finished by the Rhode Island Board of Elections Thursday, cement the makeup of the 113-member Rhode Island General Assembly: 98 Democrats (64 representatives and 34 senators), 14 Republicans (10 representatives and four senators), and one independent representative.
The biggest upset was in Warwick’s Senate District 29, where Democratic candidate Peter Appollonio Jr. ousted Republican Sen. Anthony DeLuca. DeLuca, a freshman lawmaker, originally trailed Appollonio by 65 votes based on preliminary results from Nov. 5. Following the recount, the margin narrowed to 44 votes. DeLuca did not immediately respond to inquiries for comment on Friday morning, but verbally acknowledged his loss to Appollonio at the end of the recount Thursday, Appollonio said.
Appollonio, a retired West Warwick police officer and first-time candidate, chalked up his win to “a lot of hard work” during the campaign season.
https://rhodeislandcurrent.com/2024/11/15/recounts-confirm-winners-in-three-close-state-legislative-races/