Rhode Island Democrats elect DNC delegates, including ‘uncommitted’ representative

U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse was endorsed for reelection during the Rhode Island Democratic State Convention held on June 9, 2024 at the East Providence Teamsters Local 251 Union Hall. (Courtesy Rhode Island Democratic Party)

Thirty-five Rhode Island Democrats, including one delegate pledged to represent the “uncommitted” voters who cast protest ballots in the April 2 presidential preference primary, will attend the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this August, following the Rhode Island Democratic State Convention Sunday night.

Just shy of 130 state committee members attended the annual convention at the East Providence Teamsters Local 251 Union Hall to elect delegates to attend the official party nominating convention this summer, according to Liz Beretta-Perik, state party chairwoman.

Among the 35 designees: June Rose, chief of staff for Providence City Council President Rachel Miller. Rose will attend the DNC on behalf of the uncommitted voters in Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District, whose protest votes cleared the 15% threshold needed to secure delegate representation under state party rules.

Rose, chief of staff for Providence City Council President Rachel Miller, was not immediately available for comment Monday. However, in a post on social media platform X Sunday night , they detailed their experiences growing up in, and leaving, the Orthodox Jewish community and subsequent involvement in the pro-Palestine movement.

“I will work together with my fellow uncommitted delegates to demand an end to U.S. support of genocide and colonization—including immediately halting aid and ending the transfers of all weapons to Israel,” Rose wrote on X. “But my commitment and loyalty will always be to my values of global solidarity, empathy, and collective liberation, not to any one person or party.”

A Vote Uncommitted RI coalition led in part by the Rhode Island Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America was scheduled to hold a rally outside the convention Sunday, urging Democrats to elect one of their organizers, Jordan Garces, as the uncommitted delegate for the district, according to a statement.

However, Garces was not eligible to be elected, having submitted the required application too late, Beretta-Perik said Monday. Garces is also not a registered Democrat, as required by state party rules for delegates.

Danya Reda, an organizer with Vote Uncommitted RI, disputed Beretta-Perik’s comments that Garces’ application was late. However, Reda also said she was not surprised that the coalition’s pick for delegate was taken out of the running.

“We understood that they way they do things is they pick an insider, and that’s because they’re not really open to opposition,” Reda said in an interview Tuesday.

New national committeewoman elected

Also Sunday, state Democrats unanimously elected a new DNC committeewoman. Nicole Verdi, who formerly served as a top staffer for Gov. Gina Raimondo and later, Senate President Dominick Ruggerio, will take the role previously held by Lisa Andoscia.

Andoscia chose not to run for reelection because of work responsibilities, Beretta-Perik said. Verdi, who most recently worked in government affairs in New England for Danish wind developer Orsted, could not immediately be reached for comment on Monday.

In a post on X on Sunday, Verdi wrote, “ I’m honored to serve my home state in this capacity and promise to do all I can to protect and promote our Dem. values.”

State Democratic party members also reelected former Providence Mayor Joe Paolino Jr. as DNC committeeman, and endorsed the reelection campaigns for U.S. Reps. Gabe Amo and Seth Magaziner, and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse.

“The RIDP State Committee is privileged to endorse the re-election campaigns of Senator Whitehouse, and Congressmen Magaziner and Amo who work tirelessly to improve the lives of Rhode Islanders,” Beretta-Perik said in a statement. “Together with our Congressional Delegation and State House, President Biden has delivered $2.2 billion in public investments in clean energy, infrastructure, and manufacturing, while securing $843 million in private sector commitments for the people of Rhode Island. Rhode Island is proud of our diverse Democratic Party, and we look forward to gathering together as Democrats to do our part in keeping Rhode Island and America blue in November.”

The Rhode Island GOP is scheduled to hold its state party convention on June 26, at which time it will finalize the list of delegates to be sent to the Republican National Convention in July.

Rhode Island’s Democratic delegates

Congressional District 1

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley

Pawtucket Mayor Don Grebien

Tom Kane

William Foulkes

Pat Crowley

Sen. Sandra Cano, of Pawtucket

Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera

Kristan Peters-Hamlin

Debra Rota

Congressional District 2

Jay Wegimont

Sen. Mark McKenney, of Warwick

Mark LeBeau

June Rose (Uncommitted)

Mary-Murphy Walsh

Autumn Guillotte

Melissa Carden

Erica Hammond

Cheyenne Cazeault

At-Large

Anthony DeRose

Lee Ann Byrne

Michelle Moreno-Silva

Sen. Pam Lauria, of Barrington

Susan Taylor

Pledged party leader and elected official delegates

Secretary of State Gregg Amore

Senate Majority Whip Valarie Lawson, of East Providence

Rep. June Speakman, of Bristol

Updated to include response from Vote Uncommitted RI.

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