On Wednesday night, Rhode Island State Representative David Morales, a 27-year-old democratic socialist, secured a victory over Providence Mayor Brett Smiley in the Democratic primary. Morales, who has the endorsement of Senator Bernie Sanders, defeated the incumbent by approximately 8 points, gaining 54% of the votes to Smiley’s 46%.
This victory sets the stage for Morales to potentially become the youngest mayor in Providence’s history if he wins the general election. Morales celebrated the win by expressing gratitude for taking on significant challenges, such as corporate real estate interests and heavy attack ads, during his victory speech, which included a portion in Spanish.
“Few believed that a 27-year-old democratic socialist could ever, few believed that we could ever take on big money, corporate real estate interests and endless attack ads – and we took them on and we won,” Morales stated.
Smiley faced significant scrutiny during his term, particularly after an incident at Brown University last December. Despite his defeat, Smiley expressed pride in his campaign efforts during his concession speech.
Morales’ campaign platform was progressive, focusing on issues like capping rent increases, expanding affordable housing, and raising taxes on polluters and corporate landlords. He successfully attracted support from individuals and organizations such as Rep. Ro Khanna, former Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, and several labor unions.
The general election in November will see Morales competing against Republican nominee Dave Talan. The political landscape in Providence, where Democrats make up the majority of registered voters, favors Morales significantly.
Morales’ primary victory was part of a wider trend of progressive candidates challenging established incumbents within the Democratic primaries. He targeted voter frustration regarding housing costs and local government policies.
The primary included a debate over rent stabilization, a crucial issue for many voters. A measure proposing a cap on annual rent increases was previously vetoed by Smiley, leading to ongoing discussions among city residents.
In his campaign, Morales also highlighted Providence’s role as a sanctuary city for migrants and criticized federal immigration enforcement efforts.