Hagan McEntee Wins House Dist. 33 Democratic Primary

Just over 1,300 voters went to the polls Tuesday in District 33’s Democratic primary and chose South Kingstown Town Councilwoman Carol Hagan McEntee to run as the Democrat in the June 9 primary.

The district covers parts of Narragansett and South Kingstown.

McEntee defeated Susan Cicilline Buonanno, a school principal and Narragansett town councilwoman, by 75 votes and will now face Republican Robert A. Trager and independents C. Elizabeth Candas and James L. McKnight Jr. in the special election to fill the seat vacated by former Rep. Donald J. Lally Jr., who resigned earlier this year to spend more time with his family.

Jason Colonies, the other Democrat running in the primary, garnered 72 votes.

All vote counts were tallied by the South Kingstown Board of Canvassers. Six mail ballots have yet to be counted, but with no effect on the outcome, Buonanno conceded the race shortly after polls closed Tuesday night.

While many believed that Buonanno held an advantage because she had more campaign cash and a famous political name, Cicilline, her campaign was marred in part by what she said was “an honest mistake” by sending campaign emails from a work computer and putting her work phone number on campaign forms.

McEntee, a lawyer, will not just be celebrating her primary victory this week. Her birthday is on Thursday. As a result, friends and supporters offered congrats and birthday wishes simultaneously on her Facebook page Wednesday morning.