2014 Rhode Island elections


A general election was held in the U.S. state of Rhode Island on November 4, 2014. All of Rhode Island's executive officers went up for election as well as a United States Senate seat and both of Rhode Island's two seats in the United States House of Representatives. Primary elections were held on September 9, 2014.

Governor

Incumbent Democratic governor Lincoln Chafee was eligible to run for re-election to a second term, but decided to retire. The Democratic nominee was Rhode Island Treasurer Gina Raimondo and the Republican nominee was Cranston Mayor Allan Fung. Also running were Robert J. Healey of the Moderate Party and two Independent candidates. Raimondo won the gubernatorial election.

Lieutenant governor

Incumbent Democratic lieutenant governor of Rhode Island Elizabeth H. Roberts was term-limited and could run for re-election to a third term in office. Democrat Dan McKee won the 2014 general election.

Democratic primary

State Representative Frank Ferri, Cumberland Mayor Daniel McKee and Secretary of State of Rhode Island A. Ralph Mollis ran for the Democratic nomination, which McKee won with a plurality. State Senator Joshua Miller had considered running, but decided against it.
Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Frank
Ferri
Daniel
McKee
A. Ralph
Mollis
Undecided
Fleming & AssociatesAugust 11–14, 2014503± 4.38%10%15%25%47%

Republican primary

Catherine Terry Taylor, a former speechwriter for Senators John Chafee and Lincoln Chafee and the nominee for secretary of state in 2010, resigned as Director of the Division of Elderly Affairs to run. She defeated Kara Young, a conservative activist and perennial candidate. Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian had considered running, but did not do so.

General election

Also on the ballot were Moderate Party nominee William H. Gilbert, a Republican nominee for the state senate in 2012 and Libertarian Tony Jones, a radio host and DJ. Constitution Party nominee Thomas David Gallant withdrew from the race. Democrat Dan McKee won the 2014 general election.
Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Daniel
McKee
Catherine
Taylor
William
Gilbert
OtherUndecided
Brown UniversityOctober 14–17, 20141,129± 2.9%29%20%2%2%47%
Fleming & AssociatesOctober 6–9, 2014505± 4%36%27%3%2%33%

Attorney General

Incumbent Democratic attorney general Peter Kilmartin successfully ran for re-election to a second term in office.

Democratic primary

Kilmartin was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

Republican primary

State Senator Dawson Hodgson was unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Secretary of state

Incumbent Democratic secretary of state A. Ralph Mollis was term-limited and could not run for re-election to a third term in office. He instead ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor. Nellie Gorbea won the 2014 general election.

Democratic primary

Former deputy secretary of state and former executive director of HousingWorks RI Nellie Gorbea defeated investor and candidate for secretary of state in 2006 Guillaume de Ramel. Former state representative and former chairman of the Rhode Island Democratic Party Edwin R. Pacheco had declared his candidacy in April 2013, but he withdrew from the race in October 2013 and endorsed de Ramel. Providence City Councillor Terry Hassett had also considered running, but decided to run for re-election instead.
Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Guillaume
de Ramel
Nellie
Gorbea
Undecided
Fleming & AssociatesAugust 11–14, 2014503± 4.38%27%13%57%

Republican primary

John Carlevale, a retired social worker and perennial candidate for public office was unopposed for the Republican nomination. Catherine Terry Taylor, a former speechwriter for Senators John Chafee and Lincoln Chafee and the nominee for secretary of state in 2010, had considered running, but ran for lieutenant governor instead.

General election

Also on the ballot was Independent candidate Pamela Azar, a teacher.
Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Nellie
Gorbea
John
Carlevale
OtherUndecided
Brown UniversityOctober 14–17, 20141,129± 2.9%38%23%39%
Fleming & AssociatesOctober 6–9, 2014505± 4%41%27%32%

General Treasurer

Incumbent Democratic General Treasurer Gina Raimondo did not run for re-election to a second term in office. She instead ran successfully for Governor of Rhode Island. Seth Magaziner won the 2014 general election.

Democratic primary

Investment fund manager Seth Magaziner defeated former general treasurer and nominee for governor in 2010 Frank T. Caprio.
Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Ernie
Almonte
Frank T.
Caprio
Seth
Magaziner
Undecided
Fleming & AssociatesAugust 11–14, 2014503± 4.38%31%43%24%
Fleming & AssociatesMay 27–30, 2014506± 4.38%9%29%11%46%

General election

No Republican filed to run for the office. Instead, the party rallied around Independent candidate Ernie Almonte, a former Democrat who served as State Auditor General from 1994 to 2010. Seth Magaziner won the general election.
Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Seth
Magaziner
Ernie
Almonte
OtherUndecided
Brown UniversityOctober 14–17, 20141,129± 2.9%47%33.1%19.8%
Fleming & AssociatesOctober 6–9, 2014505± 4%46.7%34.3%19%

United States Senate

Incumbent Democratic senator Jack Reed ran successfully for re-election to a fourth term in office. The Republican nominee was former chairman of the Rhode Island Republican Party, former North Kingstown Town Councilman and nominee for Rhode Island's 2nd congressional district in 2008 and 2010 Mark Zaccaria.

United States House of Representatives

Both of Rhode Island's two seats in the United States House of Representatives went up for election in 2014.