Newport & Jamestown: Democratic Primary Tuesday

NEWPORT, RI — The Democratic Primary is Tuesday, July 18, to fill the vacant District 13 Senate seat, representing Jamestown and part of Newport. Four candidates are vying for the right to represent the Democrats in the Aug. 22 Special Election. Here is the sample ballot for Newport. Jamestown is identical. The candidates are not listed in alphabetical order.

The Newport polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Jamestown polling place is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

There are three polling places in Newport and one in Jamestown. Jamestown voters go to the Lawn Avenue School, 55 Lawn Avenue.

Newport voters in Precincts 2106 and 2107 vote at the Newport Public Library, 300 Spring St. Precincts 2103, 2105 and 2108 vote at the Donovan Manor, 19 Chapel St., and Precincts 2102, 2104, and 2109 go to the Pell Elementary School, 35 Dexter St.

Patch asked all four candidates why they are running.

Dawn Euer said she believes most people in the district are concerned about housing.

"There is nothing more fundamental than the ability to keep a roof over your head and support your family," Euer said. "Yet, I’ve been told to avoid talking about this issue because it’s too much of a political hot potato. I see it differently. It is critical for us to address this issue because it speaks to the very fabric of our community. This is an issue that impacts everyone - students and young professionals who want to live near their families in the community where they grew up, seniors living on a fixed income, homeowners who are facing increasing property taxes, our veterans who are coming back home after serving our country, the teachers, firefighters, and employees who serve our city, working families who are being crushed by the stagnation of wages in our country. This issue is incredibly complex, but we’re not going to resolve it by avoiding the question. We need to do more to increase home ownership and explore creative solutions to make sure that working families, seniors, veterans, students, and retirees can continue to live here."

John Florez said his priority will be health care.

"I'm concerned about our neediest citizens and seniors losing their health care," he said. "Before the Affordable Care Act, almost 50 million Americans were uninsured and an estimated 45,000 Americans died each year because they lacked health insurance. No one should die because they lack the means to pay for medical care, which is why I support what every other industrialized nation on earth essentially has: a single payer, comprehensive “Medicare-for-all” program. No matter what happens on the national level, Rhode Island can implement a statewide single payer program, and in doing so will save lives, put money in the pockets of our citizens, and grow our state economy."

Related Stories: Candidate Profile: Dawn Euer and Candidate Profile: John Florez

The other two candidates, David Allard and David Hanos, were unresponsive.