League of Women Voters · 2026 candidate guide

I strongly supported creating a new legislative commission to take a comprehensive look at Rhode Island’s education funding formula. I had concerns about simply adopting the recommendations of the previous Blue Ribbon Commission because South County and regional school districts were not adequately represented in that process. Our communities face challenges that are very different from those of more densely populated districts, and they deserve a seat at the table.

My priorities are straightforward. First, the state needs to take greater responsibility for extraordinary special education costs. When one student requires extremely expensive services, a local school district and ultimately local property taxpayers should not be financially destabilized as a result. Rhode Island currently provides categorical funding for these

extraordinary costs, but reimbursements can be prorated when appropriations are insufficient.

Second, we need to address transportation. This is particularly important for large rural and regional districts, where buses travel significantly greater distances. Transportation is necessary to educate our children; it should be funded accordingly.

Finally, I believe Rhode Island should provide meaningful financial incentives for districts that voluntarily regionalize or share services. I have already introduced legislation aimed at strengthening those incentives. Regionalization will not work everywhere, but with declining enrollment and rising costs, communities willing to collaborate should have a reliable state partner.

I respect the Second Amendment and the constitutional rights of law-abiding Rhode Islanders. I also respect that people have deeply held concerns about gun violence and want government to take meaningful steps to keep their families and communities safe.

I voted against Rhode Island’s 2025 prohibited-firearms legislation. My concern was not a lack of concern for public safety. I questioned whether this particular approach would ultimately withstand constitutional scrutiny and whether Rhode Island taxpayers could be left paying the cost of prolonged litigation.

That concern is not hypothetical. Courts across the country continue to consider challenges involving restrictions on semiautomatic firearms, and the constitutional boundaries of these laws remain the subject of significant litigation. At the same time, courts have upheld some firearm restrictions, so I do not think it would be responsible to claim that Rhode Island’s law will definitely be overturned.

I believe we can protect constitutional rights while taking gun violence seriously. I will continue evaluating firearm legislation individually, based on whether it is constitutional, enforceable and likely to make Rhode Islanders safer.

My responsibility is to listen to those perspectives, examine the legislation carefully and cast the vote I believe best serves the people I represent.

Access to affordable health care is especially challenging in rural communities, and this has been one of my priorities since entering the General Assembly.

Early in my first term, I worked with Wood River Health and RIPTA to identify funding that enabled Wood River Health to secure a van to transport patients to medical appointments. Today, Wood River Health provides free van transportation to patients for medical and dental appointments. That work earned me the Rhode Island Health Center Association’s John H. Chafee Healthcare Leadership Award, but more importantly, it helped remove a very real barrier to care for our neighbors.

Transportation, however, is only one piece of the problem. Rhode Island also needs to ensure that reimbursement rates are competitive enough to attract and retain physicians, nurses, behavioral health professionals and other providers. We cannot expect providers to remain here if neighboring states consistently offer substantially better reimbursement and compensation.

In the near term, we should prioritize reimbursement increases in areas experiencing the greatest provider shortages and continue protecting community health centers and programs such as 340B that keep care accessible locally. I have worked across party lines on legislation aimed at protecting that program.

Long term, Rhode Island needs a sustainable reimbursement strategy that keeps providers here. Having insurance means very little if you cannot find a doctor who can see you.

I support Secretary of State Gregg Amore’s decision to protect Rhode Islanders’ private voter information, and the federal court’s ruling affirmed that position.

I believe Rhode Island should maintain accurate voter rolls, conduct secure elections and comply fully with legitimate federal and state election laws. Secretary Amore’s office has an established voter-list maintenance process designed to keep Rhode Island’s rolls accurate.

Rhode Island unquestionably needs more housing. But we also need to build responsibly. State housing policy cannot ignore the very real infrastructure limitations of rural communities.

That is particularly important in communities that depend on private wells, septic systems and groundwater rather than municipal water and sewer infrastructure. Increasing density without understanding an area’s water capacity can have long-term consequences for existing residents, future homeowners and the environment.

That is why I introduced legislation addressing groundwater protection and why I will chair the newly created legislative commission studying water-supply planning for new housing developments in Rhode Island’s rural communities. The commission was enacted in June 2026 specifically to examine how housing development can be balanced with safe and sustainable drinking-water supplies.

This should not be framed as a choice between protecting our environment and creating housing. We need to accomplish both.

I support increasing Rhode Island’s housing supply, but development needs to reflect the infrastructure of the community in which it is being built. Before requiring significantly greater density,

we should understand whether the water supply, wastewater systems, roads and other infrastructure can safely accommodate it.

Good housing policy is not simply about the number of units we build. It is about building homes in places and in ways that will remain sustainable for generations.

What differentiates me is a record of delivering tangible results for the communities I represent while working across party lines to get them done.

Early in my first term, I helped Wood River Health secure transportation funding through RIPTA for a patient transportation van, work that earned me the Rhode Island Health Center Association’s John H. Chafee Healthcare Leadership Award. I have also worked across party lines to protect the 340B program that community health centers depend upon.

I have made rural Rhode Island a priority at the State House. I chaired the Forest Management and Fire Prevention Commission, helped make the Green Bond greener by securing significant investments in forest management, and fought for $50,000 to replace forestry hose that had not been replaced since the 1980s. I also introduced legislation to protect groundwater from overdevelopment and will chair a commission examining water capacity and housing development in rural communities.

I have pushed for sustainable school funding and stronger incentives for regionalization and shared services.

My top priority remains making Rhode Island more affordable while protecting our quality of life. That means accessible health care, strong schools, responsible housing, lower utility costs, healthy forests, and reducing pressure on property taxpayers.

Yes

I recommend that the Education Funding Commission take a cautious, data-driven approach to reform. Rhode Island needs a funding formula that is simple, predictable, and equitable, but reform should not create new winners and losers among communities.

First, the newly appointed commission should update and validate the data before making changes. The Blue Ribbon Commission’s projections relied largely on 2024 data and did not fully account for the cost-sharing complexities of regional districts. The new Commission should use current information and publish district-by-district projections so taxpayers, municipalities, and school leaders understand the impact.

Second, the formula must account for the unique challenges facing rural and regional districts. The proposal did not consider the high transportation costs associated with serving a large geographic area. Property wealth alone does not capture the ability to pay more or the true

cost of educating students.

Districts facing funding reductions need a meaningful transition period. Communities should not be forced into spiked property taxes or sudden cuts to teachers, programs, or student services because of a formula change. A transition period would provide needed stability.

I believe we need to update the funding formula, but it should not be rushed. The goal should be a formula that is fair to students and taxpayers, recognizes differences among communities, and provides stability for responsible longterm planning.

I support the Second Amendment and our constitutional rights. In 2025, as Richmond Council President, I signed a resolution opposing the assault weapons ban. As a Senator, I will continue to support our constitutional rights and oppose legislation that unnecessarily infringes upon them. Additionally, I will support initiatives to assist with access to mental health services and keeping firearms out of the hands of those who pose a legitimate danger.

Our municipalities deserve a Senator who will listen to their concerns and support practical solutions. In 2026, the Hopkinton Town Council requested authorization to confer jurisdiction on the Hopkinton Municipal Court to hear certain appeals involving the return of firearms. Working with the Police Chief, the town sought a process allowing residents whose firearms were lawfully seized during an arrest, but subsequently deemed ineligible for return at the Chief’s sole discretion, to appeal that decision locally.

Allowing the Municipal Court to review these cases could provide a faster, less costly alternative to litigation while ensuring appropriate judicial oversight. The court is capable of evaluating the merits of the Police Chief’s decision. This change requires state authorization, but Hopkinton’s current Senator did not introduce the town’s requested legislation, preventing the proposal from receiving consideration in the Senate. As Senator, I will ensure our municipalities have a voice and that proposals receive the consideration they deserve.

I would approach health care affordability by lowering what Rhode Islanders pay for coverage and care, while expanding access to the providers they need. Too many families are facing higher premiums, deductibles, prescription costs, and difficulty finding timely primary or behavioral health care.

In the near term, I would focus on increasing transparency and competition. Rhode Islanders should be able to compare the actual cost of common procedures and services before receiving care.

We need to strengthen access to primary and behavioral health care. That means supporting community health centers, expanding the health care workforce, reducing unnecessary administrative burdens, and encouraging providers to practice in underserved and rural communities. Rhode Island has already taken steps to increase insurer investment in primary care, and I would build on those efforts while measuring whether they actually improve access and affordability. Insurance companies should not be providing medical care or advice and trusted providers should be able to give the care necessary without hurdles from insurance companies that do not want to pay.

Long term, we need to address the underlying drivers of health care costs rather than continually shifting those costs to patients. Supporting medical students and working to keep them in Rhode Island is essential. Affordability affects us all and Rhode Island needs to be an area that is affordable to live so that our health care professionals can live and work here.

Elections are administered by the states, and voter registration is a state responsibility. I do not believe the federal government should have unrestricted access to Rhode Island’s voter rolls. Rhode Island should maintain control over its

voter registration data and determine how that information is collected, maintained, shared, and protected.

Our voter rolls contain sensitive personal information, and Rhode Islanders deserve confidence that their data will be handled securely and only for legitimate election-related purposes. I support cooperation with federal authorities when there is a clear, lawful, and necessary purpose, but that cooperation should not come at the expense of state authority or voter privacy.

As Senator, I will defend Rhode Island’s authority to administer its own elections and protect the integrity and security of our voter registration system.

In 2024 and 2026, I voted in favor of Council resolutions affirming the importance of local authority over land use and housing decisions. I believe Rhode Island can pursue additional housing without undermining the ability of municipalities to responsibly plan for growth.

When the state requires development without adequately considering local infrastructure, the costs can fall on municipal taxpayers through increased demands on roads, schools, wastewater systems, drinking water, emergency services, and other public resources. Housing policy should not be separated from the infrastructure necessary to support it.

I support a collaborative approach that allows municipalities to retain authority to determine how goals can be achieved responsibly within their communities. State policy should also provide municipalities with the resources necessary to accommodate additional growth rather than simply shifting the costs to local taxpayers.

Our communities should have a meaningful voice in shaping their future. We can encourage housing development while protecting environmental resources, maintaining public safety, planning responsibly for infrastructure, and preserving the ability of residents and local officials to make decisions that reflect the unique needs of their community.

What differentiates me as a candidate is my experience, independence, and commitment to listening to the people I represent. I was first elected to the Richmond Town Council in 2022 and reelected in 2024. During this time, I have worked to protect our environment, responsibly manage taxpayer dollars, support local businesses, increase government transparency, and strengthen civic engagement.

As Council President, I made accessibility and open government priorities, including holding open office hours so residents could share their concerns directly. I am proud of maintaining a level tax rate while protecting senior, 100% disabled, and farmland/open space exemptions; supporting critical infrastructure investments; creating a Small Business Grant program; and championing aquifer protection.

I have also demonstrated that I am willing to ask tough questions and stand alone when necessary. In 2023, I was the only Council member to oppose state level legislation that would have allowed tax stabilization agreements for the Preserve without voter approval. This was championed by our current state senator. I believe public officials must have the courage to stand up for taxpayers, even when it is politically difficult.

If elected State Senator, my top priority will be affordability and responsible government. I will work to make Rhode Island more affordable for families, demand transparency and accountability, protect our environment and water resources, and preserve the rural character of our communities.

Above all, I will listen, seek common ground, and represent all five towns of District 34 with honesty, independence, and integrity.

Yes

At our South County Education Leaders Breakfast and Chariho School Committee meetings, two funding priorities stood out: special education and out-of-district transportation costs

Special Education: Have the state fully fund high-cost special education (historically it’s been about 56% funded) so districts can sustain services without sacrificing other priorities.

Out-of-District Transportation Costs Students with special circumstances (DCYF, homeless, special education) sometimes require long distance transportation to get to and from an out-ofdistrict school, and currently it’s their home district that has to pay for that. The goal is to 1. Fund these costs at the state level 2. find cost-saving efficiencies within the statewide busing system

I support responsible gun ownership and believe there are meaningful ways to reduce gun deaths in Rhode Island. Rhode Island red flag laws and 7-day waiting periods help protect victims of domestic violence and impulsive violence.

I also support restrictions on the sale of new military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. These weapons can deliver a high volume of fire quickly and have been used in some of the deadliest mass shootings in our country. I believe we can respect the Second Amendment while recognizing that reasonable regulations can save lives.

We also need to crack down on gun trafficking, which puts illegal firearms into the hands of people who should not have them. Rhode Island requires background checks on all purchases , and we should continue enforcing the law against straw purchasing (having a middleman buy a gun for someone in order to evade a background check). Finally, we need to enforce the ban on untraceable ghost guns and hold gun dealers and traffickers accountable.

These policies should be part of a comprehensive approach to gun safety: keeping guns away from people who pose a demonstrated risk, preventing illegal trafficking, and reducing access to weapons designed for mass casualty events. We can uphold constitutional rights while taking practical steps to make Rhode Island communities safer.

Many residents, including me, have seen their primary care physician retire or experience burnout; there is a nationwide shortage. In 2026, the General Assembly dedicated more than $40 million to increase primary care rates, including $15 million in state funds matched by federal dollars. We should build on that investment by continuing to improve reimbursement across Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial insurance to stabilize our health care system and retain our workforce.

We also need to grow the primary care workforce at every stage of the pipeline. That means investing in a

primary-care-focused medical school in RI, expanding primary care residency opportunities, implementing the physician licensure compact to make it easier for qualified physicians to practice here, and expanding loan forgiveness and scholarship programs. We should ensure that both rural and urban areas benefit from doctors recruited through these programs.

Finally, we need to make better use of the workforce we already have. I’m the lead sponsor on a bill, working with Charlestown Rescue, Westerly Ambulance, and others, to establish sustainable funding and reimbursement for community paramedicine, also known as Mobile Integrated Health. This model allows trained paramedics to provide preventive care, chronic-disease support, follow-up visits, and connections to health and social services in patients’ homes. Expanding MIH can help residents get care earlier, reduce emergency room use, and keep people healthier at home.

Primary care is the foundation: if we invest in it now, we can improve access, affordability, and health outcomes for Rhode Islanders over the long term

I oppose efforts by the federal government to demand sensitive Rhode Island voter information that it does not need to administer our elections. States have the responsibility to run their own elections, and Rhode Island has a duty to protect voters’ personal information.

The federal government already has access to voter information that is publicly available. The Justice Department’s request for Rhode Island voters’ Social Security and driver’s license numbers went much further. That information is protected under state and federal law, and the Secretary of State has a mandate to protect it.

Rhode Islanders should have confidence that our voter rolls are regularly maintained. In November 2025, the Secretary of State sent a voter-list maintenance mailing to registered voters statewide and removed voters from the rolls when appropriate, including when they had moved. Rhode Island also participates in information-sharing programs with other states designed to keep voter

rolls accurate and identify potential election fraud. The state’s Elections Division has found ERIC to be a useful tool for both purposes.

Most importantly, Rhode Island voters should not have to choose between secure elections and privacy. We can maintain accurate voter rolls, identify potential problems, and protect the integrity of our elections without handing over sensitive personal information. I will continue to support Rhode Island’s authority to administer its own elections and protect the privacy of its voters.

Rhode Island’s housing crisis is urgent. Young people are struggling to put down roots. Families & seniors are wondering whether they can afford to remain in the communities they call home.

That is why I have taken the lead in making it easier for homeowners to have accessory dwelling units (ADUs). ADUs are a practical way to add small, long-term rental homes on existing lots (reducing pressure to develop open spaces or forests). A backyard suite can be designed to accommodate the aging homeowner who can no longer walk up stairs, allowing them to remain in their community.

On other housing bills, I’ve taken a balanced approach: I supported some bills that cut red tape but opposed others. My philosophy is towns should continue to create affordable housing plans and designate where they want new housing to go in their comprehensive plan. If an area is designated open space, leave it as open space. If a housing proposal meets the zoning requirements already and matches the density of the surrounding neighborhood, then we should reduce red tape.

The housing review process has environmental safeguards in state law. For example, RI DEM regulates septic systems based on the number of bedrooms; if adding bedrooms, you’re required to switch to a denitrification system. These

protections help limit environmental impacts in communities that rely on septic systems and wells.

We should respect local infrastructure constraints while recognizing that thoughtful, incremental housing growth is part of the solution to Rhode Island’s housing crisis.

What differentiates me as a candidate is my combination of technical expertise, practical problem-solving, and a focus on South County. If re-elected, my top priority will be expanding access to primary care. I also bring a technical background in software engineering to my work as Chair of the RI Senate Committee on AI and Emerging Technologies. AI will have a profound impact on our economy, education, and daily lives, and we need to make sure Rhode Island is prepared.

My approach to policymaking is grounded in evidence: as a software engineer & data analyst, I was trained to identify a problem, test a solution, and use data to determine whether it worked. I am applying that approach in a new task force I created to design a Food as Medicine pilot program aimed at improving health outcomes while reducing Medicaid costs through evidence-based nutrition interventions.

I also bring a strong commitment to our coastal communities. As a former chair of the Climate Resiliency Commission, I helped Charlestown enroll in the state’s Municipal Resiliency Program and brought residents together to prioritize solutions. I have also passed legislation to make new buildings more energy-efficient, championed the Act on Coasts to strengthen our preparedness and protect critical infrastructure, and strengthened shoreline access laws.

Finally, I have been leading the charge to reform RI Energy so that they don’t profiteer at the expense of residents. I will always take the side of working families against lobbyists that represent corporate interests.

Yes

I believe Rhode Island needs to get back to the basics of what made our education system successful: reading, writing, mathematics, science, civics, and preparing students for the future. The current formula is not producing the results Rhode Islanders deserve, and simply increasing funding is not reform.

We should reward achievement and give students multiple paths to success. Not every student needs a four-year college degree. Trade schools, vocational programs, apprenticeships, and career and technical education should be treated as valuable alternatives, not second choices.

I also support school choice. A child’s ZIP code should not determine whether they have access to a quality education. Parents should have meaningful options when their assigned public school is failing their child.

Funding should be based on the actual needs of students and communities, but it must also come with accountability. Chronic absenteeism should not be ignored, and schools should have the

tools to address chronically disruptive or dangerous behavior without allowing it to continually interfere with the education of everyone else. Parents must also accept responsibility for their children’s behavior.

We should encourage students to attend school, work hard, achieve, and take pride in their accomplishments. Our goal should not simply be to spend more on education. It should be to produce better educational outcomes while giving parents and students more choices and respecting local taxpayers.

I strongly support the Second Amendment and the constitutional right of law-abiding Rhode Islanders to keep and bear arms. I believe responsible firearm ownership is important, and I support firearm safety education so that gun owners understand safe handling, storage, and use.

I also support safe storage, but I do not support laws that mandate how a responsible firearm owner must store their firearm in their own home. The Constitution protects our right to keep and bear arms; it does not give the government the right to require us to lock those arms away indefinitely or make them inaccessible when we may lawfully need them.

Rhode Island has enacted an increasing number of restrictions on responsible firearm owners. I will not support legislation that violates the Constitution or unnecessarily infringes upon the rights of law-abiding citizens.

Instead of continually creating new restrictions, we should focus on the people actually committing firearm crimes. I support stronger penalties for flagrant unlawful firearm offenses, particularly for repeat offenders, and making sure existing laws are properly enforced.

I believe we can promote firearm safety and protect our communities without treating responsible gun owners like criminals. As a Senator, I will defend the constitutional rights of Rhode Islanders while supporting education, responsible ownership, and serious consequences for those who unlawfully use firearms.

As someone who works in healthcare, I see firsthand how difficult it has become for patients to find affordable care and for independent medical practices to provide it. We need to address both the cost to patients and the cost of delivering care.

We need to strengthen primary care, reduce unnecessary administrative burdens, and make it easier for independent practices to operate. Excessive insurance bureaucracy and regulations increase costs and make it harder for providers to remain independent.

I also believe we need to be realistic about how we address the provider shortage. Spending hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on a new medical school at URI may have long-term benefits, but it will not meaningfully solve today’s shortage. It could be 15 years before we see meaningful numbers of graduates entering the workforce. Rhode Island cannot wait that long.

We need to make Rhode Island a place where healthcare professionals want to live and work. That means addressing housing costs, taxes, education costs, and the overall cost of living while creating an environment where medical professionals can establish practices and build their careers.

We should also increase competition and price transparency so patients have more choices and can make informed decisions about their care.

My goal is to make Rhode Island more affordable for patients and providers. If we want more doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals here, we need to make it worth their while to move here, stay here, and practice here.

I believe Rhode Island’s voter ID laws are working, and I support maintaining them. However, I do believe there are areas where we can improve election integrity and public confidence.

One concern is that Rhode Island-issued driver’s licenses and identification issued to individuals who are not eligible to vote can look the same. There should be an obvious distinction between identification used by eligible voters and identification issued for other purposes so there is no confusion about who is

eligible to participate in elections.

I also believe Rhode Island could benefit from additional oversight and regular verification of its voter rolls. While door knocking during a campaign, I have personally encountered addresses where multiple people were listed as voters, only to learn that the address was actually a group home where none of those individuals were registered residents. That does not automatically mean fraud occurred, but it demonstrates why voter rolls need to be regularly reviewed and kept current.

I support reasonable oversight and verification to ensure our voter rolls are accurate. However, that does not mean the federal government should have unrestricted access to Rhode Island’s sensitive voter information. Election administration is primarily a responsibility of the states, and any federal request for voter information should have a clear legal basis and appropriate privacy protections.

We can protect election integrity, improve the accuracy of our voter rolls, and preserve Rhode Island’s authority over its own elections at the same time.

I do not believe Providence should be dictating how every Rhode Island community develops. Our towns are different, and the people who live in those towns understand their land, infrastructure, neighborhoods, and limitations far better than legislators sitting in Providence.

The state’s 10% affordable-housing requirement is a good example of a policy that ignores local realities. Many communities simply do not have the available land, sewer capacity, or water resources to accommodate the level of development these mandates envision. We cannot create land that does not exist, expand a sewer system beyond its capacity overnight, or demand unlimited development from communities dependent on wells with finite water resources.

Housing is important, and I support responsible development, but the state should not use the housing shortage

as an excuse to eliminate local zoning authority. Town councils and residents should have the ability to determine what development makes sense for their communities.

If Providence believes its approach to development is best, Providence should have the freedom to implement it within Providence. The same principle should apply to every other Rhode Island community.

Let Providence make the decisions it believes are right for Providence, and let our towns retain the authority to keep our towns ours.

What differentiates me is that I am not a career politician. I have spent my life working, running a small business, managing a healthcare practice, and raising a family. I understand what it means to make payroll, pay insurance, deal with regulations, and sit at the kitchen table trying to figure out how to make everything work when the cost of nearly everything keeps going up.

I am also running to represent the people of District 38, not a political party or the interests of Providence. I believe government should work for the people who live here, and decisions affecting our communities should be made as close to those communities as possible.

If elected, my top priority will be making Rhode Island more affordable for working families. That means addressing energy costs, taxes, housing costs, healthcare, and the regulations that make it increasingly expensive to live, work, and operate a small business here.

I will also fight to protect local control and the constitutional rights of Rhode Islanders. I don’t believe every problem requires another government program, another tax, or another law.

My goal is simple: make Rhode Island a place where working families can afford to stay, businesses can afford to operate, and our children can afford to build their future here. I will bring common sense, accountability, and an independent voice to the Senate.

Yes