Fenton to Lead Newport GOP, Returns to Rhode Island Young Republicans

Barbara Ann Fenton took what ended up being ten months off as the head of Rhode Island Young Republicans starting in January to focus on the campaign of Cranston Mayor Allan W. Fung for Governor.

Now that the election is over, Fenton, who has been in a relationship with Fung for some time now, has announced that she has returned to the helm of the political organization.

During her absence, the group was left in the hands of Scott Rotondo and Joe Agresti and Fenton gave them kudos for their success this past election. Though Democrats dominated in the statewide races, the organization “spurred fifteen young Republicans to run for office, ranging from US Congress to local school committee member. The group continues to be a driving force in growing the big tent of the party, with success in this past cycle running diverse young candidates in the urban core, (including Chris Paplauskas being the first Republican to win the Cranston City Council Ward 5 seat in 70 years),” Fenton said.

Fenton said the Rhode Island Young Republicans will be working with Minority Leader Brian Newberry and other Republican representatives to “champion mail ballot reform” in the upcoming legislative session to name just one issue.

Fenton said voters should be alarmed about events during the election cycle involving candidates and campaign volunteers handling mail ballots. In the Providence mayoral race, both the Buddy Cianci and Jorge Elorza campaigns made headlines when people working for the campaigns were seen handling mail ballots.

Though the Rhode Island State Police concluded there was no evidence of crimes being committed in either case, Fenton said “the practice of letting campaign representatives have physical control over ballots that are completed in number two pencils needs to be urgently reconsidered.”

“Given the unfortunate degree of voter apathy amongst younger citizens, we will fight for these loopholes to be closed, thereby helping to restore faith in the fact that your honest vote really does matter,” Fenton said.

Photo: Barbara Ann Fenton stands alongside Cranston Mayor Allan W. Fung and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie at a campaign event leading up to the Nov. 4 election. (Photo via Facebook)