Napolitano Leads; Voters Eliminate Quiroa, Upham-Sanderson from November Race

Newport Mayor Jeanne-Marie Napolitano led the pack in Tuesday's primary.

The mayor came out on top in the votes for an at-large council seat, with 1,611 in all, or 17.7 percent. Following was fellow incumbent and former mayor Stephen Waluk, with 1,363 votes, or 15 percent.

Former Councilman Henry F. Winthrop came in with 1,257, or 13.8 percent, trailed closely by Planning Board Chair Naomi L. Neville, who had 1,210 votes, or 13.3 percent. Councilman Stephen R. Coyne received 1,137, or 12.5 percent; followed by Beach Commission Chair Herbert B. Armstrong with 1006, or 11 percent; Attorney Susan T. Perkins with 786, or 8.6 percent; and Educator Rebecca A. Bringhurst with 429, or 4.7 percent. David A. Quiroa, with 309 of the votes and 3.4 percent, will now be eliminated from the Nov. 2 ballot.

"It feels really good," Napolitano said after seeing the numbers come in at the City's Canvassing Authority office Tuesday night. "I think I've worked really hard to cover all of the demographics, and I think people realize that."

Napolitano, who was not at the Alliance for a Livable Newport's candidate forum on Sept. 7, said she felt many of the issues brought up there—roads, water, sewage—are ones she's already been working on.

The mayor said she thinks the voters recognize that, but still, she said she knows she's going to have to continue to prove herself between now and Nov. 2.

"I think I'm going to have to work even harder," she said. "People want answers to how we're progressing and what we're doing. I think those things are at the top of everybody's list."

Other candidates could also be found milling around the entryway to the Canvassing office Tuesday evening after the polls closed at 9 p.m. Standing just outside after the results came in, Councilman Stephen Coyne said he wasn't surprised that he got 40.7 percent of the vote, trailing a few steps behind his other council colleagues, Napolitano and Waluk.

"I didn't really campaign during the primary on purpose," he admitted. "I felt like the general election was where I really needed to focus my efforts."

Coyne said he'll be hitting the streets between now and Nov. 2.

"I will be campaigning the same way I have in the last three elections," he said.

With just 4.7 percent of the votes, but enough to keep her in the race, political newcomer Rebecca Bringhurst looked quite pleased Tuesday night with her performance. The educator, who formerly worked with Head Start and in Newport Public Schools, said the people she's met with around town thus far have been receptive to her message, which primarily focuses on a need to improve communications between the council and Newport Public Schools.

"I really need to get out there, keep knocking on doors and meeting people," she said of her plans for the next month-and-a-half of campaigning. "I think people are happy to see a young face, a new face, someone involved in education."

The loser of the night, David Quiroa, was absent from the Canvassing office Tuesday night, and absent from the candidates forum last week. A few of the other candidates criticized him for not getting out there enough in the days leading up to the primary.

Over in the Second Ward race, Councilman Justin Mclaughlin just barely beat opponent Michael T. Farley in the votes, with the incumbent earning 420 over Farley's 412.

Kathleen M. Sanderson-Upham suffered a harsh defeat, earning just 173 votes, or 17.2 percent. Last week, Upham noted that she had enjoyed the experience of her first political run.

The competition for the Second Ward seat should be an interesting one over the next few weeks. Mclaughlin, who was first elected in 2006, ran unopposed in 2008. This is Farley's second time running for the seat. The attorney first ran in 2004 against Councilman Stephen Waluk.

Voter turnout on Tuesday was predictably sluggish.

According to preliminary data from the Canvassing office, around 20 percent of the city's 13,168 registered voters showed up at the polls. Fourteen percent were Democrats, 4 percent were Republicans, and 1.55 percent were non-affiliated.

Those Democratic voters overwhelmingly chose David N. Cicilline as their pick for District 1 Congressional Representative, falling in line with the results at the statewide level, where he also came out on top. The Providence mayor earned 925, or 49.5 percent of Newport's vote, compared to David A. Segal's 412, or 22.1 percent. William J. Lynch came in with 306, or 16.4 percent, and Anthony P. Gemma got 225, or 12 percent.

Republicans largely chose John J. Loughlin II for the Representative seat, giving him 458, or 86.9 percent of the vote, leaving Kara D. Russo with just 69 votes, or 13.1 percent.

Republicans also overwhelmingly picked Portsmouth native John F. Robitaille to represent them in the gubernatorial race. Robitaille got 464, or 84.8 percent of the vote, over Victor G. Moffitt's 83 votes, or 15.2 percent.

Here's a full look at how Newporters voted in the other races on Tuesday.

Representative in Congress, District 1

Republican

John J. Loughlin II: 458, or 86.9 percent

Kara D. Russo: 69, or 13.1 percent

Democrat

David Cicilline: 925, or 49.5 percent

David A. Segal: 412, or 22.1 percent

William J. Lynch: 306, or 16.4 percent

Anthony P. Gemma: 225, or 12 percent

Governor

Republican

John F. Robitaille: 464, or 86.9 percent

Victor G. Moffitt: 83, or 15.2 percent

Democrat

Frank Caprio: 1,241, or 100 percent

Lieutenant Governor

Republican

Heidi Rogers: 351, or 74.2 percent

Kara D. Russo: 122, or 25.8 percent

Democrat

Elizabeth H. Roberts: 1,170, or 67.5 percent

Jeremy A. Kapstein: 564, or 32.5 percent

Secretary of State

Republican

Catherine Terry Taylor: 461, or 100 percent

Democrat

A. Ralph Mollis: 1,056, or 67 percent

Leonidas P. Raptakis: 521, or 33 percent

Attorney General

Republican

Erik B. Wallin: 463, or 1oo percent

Democrat

Peter F. Kilmartin: 755, or 44.4 percent

Joseph M. Fernandez: 492, or 28.9 percent

Stephen R. Archambault: 455, or 26.7 percent

General Treasurer

Republican

Kernan F. King: 456, or 100 percent

Democrat

Gina M. Raimondo: 1,210, or 100 percent

Senator in General Assembly, District 12

Democrat

Louis P. Dipalma: 174, or 100 percent

Senator in General Assembly, District 13

Republican

Geoffrey William Cook: 358, or 100 percent

Democrat

M. Teresa Paiva-Weed: 1,228, or 100 percent

Representative in General Assembly, District 72

Republican

Daniel Patrick Reilly: 20, or 100 percent

Democrat

Amy G. Rice: 48, or 100 percent

Representative in General Assembly, District 73

Democrat

J. Russell Jackson: 498, or 100 percent

Representative in General Assembly, District 75

Republican

Patrick J. Donovan: 284, or 100 percent

Democrat

Peter F. Martin: 817, or 100 percent

To see the breakdown of the numbers by precinct in Newport, go here.