Election 2018: RI House Speaker Mattiello Faces Smith Hill Battle

CRANSTON, RI—House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello on Tuesday survived another close election against Stephen Frias for the District 13 state Senate seat. But now he's in a struggle to keep his leadership post on Smith Hill. According to state Rep. Deb Ruggiero (D-74 Jamestown, Middletown), 25 percent of the House has gone on the record saying they won't support him. They're urging their colleagues to do the same.

“This is not a progressive issue or a conservative issue; this is a leadership issue," Ruggiero said. "The abuse of power and the bullying are unacceptable regardless of your political ideology."

The Democrats against Mattiello are: Rep.Edith Ajello, Rep. Joseph Almeida, Laufton Ascencao, Rep. Lauren Carson, Liana Cassar, Terri Cortvriend, Rep. Susan Donovan, Rep. Kathleen Fogarty, Rep. Raymond Hull, Rebecca Kislak, Rep. Jason Knight, Rep. John Lombardi, Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee, Rep. Mary Messier, Rep. Marcia Ranglin-Vassell, Rep. Deborah Ruggiero, Rep. Teresa Tanzi, Rep. Moira Walsh.

According to Ruggiero, a recent poll "shows only 2 out of 10 voters approve of the job Mattiello is doing as Speaker of the House."

Mattiello won his district in 2016 by fewer than 100 votes. But according to the unofficial count from the state Board of Elections, on Tuesday Mattiello eased by Frias by about 300 votes, collecting 3,431 (or 52.1 percent) against 3,121 (or 47.4 percent) for Frias.

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