Rhode Island Special Election Tests Progressives' Ability To Send One Of Their Own To Congress There are four main Democratic contenders in the close race to succeed former Rep. David Cicilline. BY SUDHANVA AYURVEDA OVERSEAS PVT LTD The top Democratic contenders for an open seat, from left to right: former state Rep. Aaron Regunberg; Rhode Island state Sen. Sandra Cano; former White House official Gabe Amo; and Rhode Island Lt. Govt. Sabina Matos. The top Democratic contenders for an open seat, from left to right: former state Rep. Aaron Regunberg; Rhode Island state Sen. Sandra Cano; former White House official Gabe Amo; and Rhode Island Lt. Govt. Sabina Matos. ILLUSTRATION: HUFFPOST; PHOTOS: GETTY/SHUTTERSTOCK/IMAGN In a state where congressional openings are rare and Democratic primaries are typically decisive, a special primary election in Rhode Island on Tuesday pits a staunch progressive against three rivals who would break new demographic ground in Congress. The primary is to fill the seat formerly held by former Rep. David Cicilline, an ardent proponent of antitrust reform. Cicilline had represented Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District, encompassing the eastern half of the state, since 2011 before resigning in June to take a job leading a statewide nonprofit. ADVERTISEMENT Now there are no fewer than 11 Democrats competing to succeed him in a safe Democratic seat that includes Newport, Bristol, Pawtucket, Woonsocket and a significant chunk of Providence, the state’s capital and largest city. There are four main contenders: Lt. Govt. Sabina Matos; Former State Rep. Aaron Regunberg; state sen. Sandra Cano; and Gabe Amo, a former official in the Biden and Obama administrations. For much of the election, internal polls showed a close race between Regunberg, the progressive favorite, and Matos, an establishment darling with significant outside support. (There have been no public polls.) But Amo released a poll last week showing him hot on Regunberg’s heels, with Matos and Cano far behind him. Many observers now believe the race is a four-way toss-up with a narrow advantage for Regunberg, a 33-year-old climate attorney who was clerking for a federal judge before mounting his bid for Congress. ADVERTISEMENT “The way the race is talked about here, whether it’s Sabina or Sandra, a woman of color finally gets representation in Rhode Island’s delegation.” -Robert Walsh, Rhode Island political analyst The race will once again test the left’s ability to elect one of its own to Congress. Regunberg, a supporter of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential bids, is backed by many progressive state lawmakers, the Congressional Progressive Caucus and left-wing groups like the Working Families Party. Sanders held a raucous rally for Regunberg in Providence on Sunday. “We just don't need another Democratic vote in Congress,” Sanders told the crowd of about 650 people. “We need people who have the guts to take on powerful special interests and fight for the working class of this country, and Aaron will be one of those people.” Cano, Amo and Matos are progressive by national standards, but in their positions — and their relationships with traditional institutions — they are closer to the ideological median of the House Democratic Caucus. At the same time, a victory for any of the three would mark an identity milestone: The first non-white person elected to Congress in Rhode Island, a state historically represented by politicians from white ethnic strongholds. Cano would also be the first-ever woman of Colombian descent in Congress. And Matos, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, would be the first Afro-Latina in Congress. ADVERTISEMENT “If Aaron wins this thing, progressives will have carried the day in the election,” said Robert Walsh, a Democratic analyst in Rhode Island who previously ran one of the state's teachers unions. “But the way the race is talked about here, whether it’s Sabina or Sandra, a woman of color finally gets representation in Rhode Island’s delegation.” Former state Rep. Aaron Regunberg (D), a progressive favorite, is widely seen as the front-runner. His rivals teamed up against him in the final debate of the special primary election. Former state Rep. Aaron Regunberg (D), a progressive favorite, is widely seen as the front-runner. His rivals teamed up against him in the final debate of the special primary election.ANTHONY RICCI/SHUTTERSTOCK A Progressive In The Biden Era At a time when the Democratic establishment has shifted closer to the activist left and the number of conservative Democrats obstructing the party’s priorities has dwindled dramatically, it is not as clear as it once was what distinguishes the most progressive members of Congress from more moderate Democrats. Many progressives have also tempered their expectations. With health care policy on the back burner, even Regunberg is calling for “expanding Medicare,” rather than campaigning.