Gabe Amo earned a decisive victory in the 11-way Democratic primary for the state’s open 1st Congressional District seat, ushering in a new era for people of color in Rhode Island.
This former White House adviser is the son of Ghanaian and Liberian immigrants and entered the campaign as an underdog. Amo’s victory positions him as a major representative of Rhode Island’s many communities of color.
The outcome of the last election is critical, according to Providence College Political Science Professor Adam Myers. The victory represents representation for communities of color at the highest levels of government in Rhode Island, which has been absent.
According to Rhode Island Current, the state has never elected a Democratic woman to Congress, and its current Congressional delegation is entirely made up of white men, with the exception of a brief period in 1981 when Republican Claudine Schneider represented the 2nd Congressional District.
Amo’s victory is unprecedented since he fought a diverse field of candidates, with half of his opponents coming from communities of color. Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos is a Dominican Republic immigrant; Pawtucket Sen. Sandra Cano is a Colombian immigrant; Providence State Senator Ana Quezada is also a Dominican Republic immigrant; Providence City Councilman John Gonçalves is the son of a Cabo Verde immigrant; and Stephanie Beauté is the daughter of a Haitian immigrant.
Professor Myers believes that electing a Latino or African-American candidate to Congress from Rhode Island is not only significant locally, but also sends a larger statement. It stresses the state’s racial and ethnic diversity to those outside of Rhode Island, emphasizing that the state is indeed diverse and multicultural.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Rhode Island’s Latino population has increased by approximately 40% between 2010 and 2022, accounting for 17.6% of the state’s total population. Furthermore, according to the Pew Research Center, Latinos accounted for nearly all of the population growth in Providence County from 2010 to 2020.
Furthermore, American Community Survey estimates reveal that Rhode Island’s Black population has grown significantly, increasing by approximately 30% from 73,967 in 2010 to 95,695 in 2021. These demographic movements highlight the state’s increasing diversity.
While sending a person of color to Congress is considered as a watershed moment for diversity in Rhode Island, Black Lives Matter Rhode Island PAC Director Harrison Tuttle believes that the focus in elections should ultimately be on policy rather than ethnicity.
Following the announcement of Amo’s victory, there has been a groundswell of support, with several major stakeholders expressing excitement about working with him.
If elected, Amo promised to solve some of the country’s most pressing issues, such as gun violence, Social Security, and the climate disaster.