Rhode Island Senate primaries result in GOP victory, while incumbent Democrat survives challenge.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse is running for re-election to a fourth term.

Rhode Island Senate primaries result in GOP victory, while incumbent Democrat survives challenge.
Rhode Island Senate primaries result in GOP victory, while incumbent Democrat survives challenge.

Today, voters in Rhode Island decided who will compete in the U.S. Senate race in November.

In the Rhode Island Democratic primary, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, running for a fourth term, faced off against Michael Costa, a former Republican who ran for governor in 2022. Meanwhile, in the Republican contest, State Rep. Patricia Morgan and former Warwick City Administrator Raymond T. McKay competed for the seat.

In November, Patricia Morgan, the GOP nominee, will face off against Sheldon Whitehouse, who has become the Democrats' champion.

Polls closed at 8 PM, and the Associated Press declared the race winner just 19 minutes later.

Last month, WPRI reported that Costa aimed to bring Washington "compassion and practicality."

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-RI, in closeup shot
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) speaks during a press conference following a luncheon with Senate Democrats in the U.S. Capitol Building May 02, 2023 in Washington, DC.(Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Costa contended that he desired a nation that was not only exceptional but also morally upright.

Costa acknowledged that immigration needs to be controlled and fair, excessive government spending causes inflation, and climate change requires a global and engineering solution.

Whitehouse, meanwhile, argued he had unfinished business in the Senate.

Whitehouse stated in an interview with WPRI that he is leading the charge to clean up the Supreme Court, which is benefiting billionaires who bought it while restricting women's right to make their own choices and children's safety in schools. He has faced off with Big Oil to prevent climate change from altering Rhode Island's map and to put an end to gas pump price gouging.

GOP state representative Patricia Morgan, left, campaigning with Allan Fung
Allan Fung, a 2022 Republican candidate for Rhode Islands Second Congressional District, greets State Rep. Patricia Morgan before a tour of Warwick Ice Cream in Warwick, R.I., on Thursday, October 27, 2022. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Morgan campaigned on a platform that emphasized economic issues, vowing to assist struggling families in opposition to harmful policies from the federal government.

Rhode Islanders deserve better, and I have fought for them for 12 years in the General Assembly to ensure they keep more of the money they work hard to make. Rhode Islanders and all Americans deserve a Senator who cares about their best interests, not his own bank account, as Morgan stated last month on WPRI.

polling place entrance
"Vote Here" sign outside of a polling place. (Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)

McKay, meanwhile, highlighted his military experience on the campaign.

My military background and professional career make me uniquely qualified to represent Rhode Island. I served 11 years in the US Army, specializing in electronic maintenance for the Pershing Nuclear Missile System in West Germany and training as a computer programmer at Fort Sill and Fort Gordon.

by Michael Lee

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