As a blue wave swept the nation on Tuesday, bringing the Democrats their most widespread victories in decades, hundreds of Rhode Island Democrats gathered in downtown Providence at the state party’s election night reception.
The Herald documented the state Democrats’ celebration of the historic night.
7:45 p.m.
With polls predicting widespread victories for Democrats, energy was high in the cavernous Biltmore Ballroom at the Graduate Hilton hotel as the reception kicked off just before 8 p.m. Eager attendees milled between tables littered with campaign signs and television hosts went live from elevated seats opposite the podium.
8:00 p.m.
As polls closed, the crowd gathered with anticipation in front of television screens. On one side of the room, the TV displayed local WPRI-12, while the other tuned into NBC News.
NBC had already called several national races in favor of the Democrats, including the Senate race in swing state Georgia. But local results had yet to come in on WPRI-12, leaving attendees glued to the screen.
8:12 p.m.
As the first results from the Rhode Island governor’s race flashed on screen, cheers broke through the chatter. According to the WPRI-12 broadcast, Democrat Helena Foulkes was up early with 47% of the vote, followed by independent Ken Block with 33% and Republican Aaron Guckian with the remaining 20%.
A few minutes later, early numbers indicated that Democrat Sabina Matos, the incumbent lieutenant governor, was neck and neck with her Republican opponent John Loughlin. Several murmurs and gasps broke through the crowd but shortly afterward, a new batch of votes came in, indicating that Matos had taken a strong lead.
8:30 p.m.
Around 8:30 p.m., television anchors projected that Foulkes would cruise to the governorship — the Associated Press later called the race.
Antony Calenda, who helped with Foulkes’s campaign, said he didn’t expect the anchors to project her victory so early in the night.
“I hope she can do a lot of things for this wonderful state of Rhode Island,” he said. He expressed a particular interest in Foulkes’s focus on housing and jobs.
8:50 p.m.
State Rep. Jenny Furtado (D-East Providence, Pawtucket) — who is also chair of the Rhode Island Democratic Party — and House Speaker Christopher Blazejewski (D-Providence) were the first two to take the stage and address the roaring crowd.
Soon after, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), who was not up for re-election, took the stage.
Following Whitehouse’s remarks, Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) proclaimed his victory. The Associated Press had officially called his win at 8:15 p.m..
“We don’t need billionaires telling us what we need,” Reed said to the crowd. “We need the people of America, and tonight they are speaking all the way.”
9:09 p.m.
As attendees noticed Foulkes walking up the stairs in the back of the ballroom, the crowd erupted.
“This is an incredible night,” she said in her victory speech. “What a night for our country and our state, and an amazing turnout, and a clear, clear message that change is coming.”
“And to those of you who did not vote for me tonight, I will be a governor for you too,” she added. “I will be a governor for everyone, and I want every one of you to hold me to it.”
10 p.m.
By now, victorious candidates including Matos, R.I. Secretary of State Gregg Amore and U.S. Reps. Gabe Amo (D-R.I. 1) and Seth Magaziner ’06 (D-R.I. 2) had delivered speeches.
After walking out to Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” Amo announced to the crowd that he was “feeling something in Rhode Island.”
“Today, our country made it very clear we are ready for change,” he added.
10:07
Morales — Providence’s incoming mayor — took the stage for the final speech of the evening.
“Hi, neighbors,” Morales told the ravenous crowd. “What a joy it is to be here in celebration together as a community.”
He added, “It has been absolutely clear that — across Rhode Island and right here in our capital city of Providence — our neighbors voted overwhelmingly for the change that they deserved.”
10:15
Fil Eden — who worked for a slew of local Democratic campaigns this cycle — said he was “feeling very optimistic” after listening to Morales’s speech that the mayor-elect and his team are “going to do a good job for the city.”
“I’ve been doing electoral work for a long time, and the last time that I felt this hopeful was probably 2008,” Eden said. “It’s been a long time.”
“I think there’s a lot of hurt in Rhode Island. There’s a lot of people struggling,” he added. “There’s a lot of things that we need to be doing better, and the only way to do that is to get involved in your community, get involved in politics.”
James Libresco is a senior staff writer covering staff & student labor. He is a sophomore from Alexandria, Va. studying political science and contemplative studies. In his free time, he can be found playing basketball, meditating, or losing in Among Us.
