Democrat Outperforms Kamala Harris by 55 Points in Special Election

Democratic state legislative candidate Stefano Famiglietti outperformed former Vice President Kamala Harris by 55 points in a Rhode Island special election on Tuesday.

Famiglietti ran to replace longtime state Senate President Dominick Ruggerio, who died in April.

Newsweek reached out to the Rhode Island Democratic and Republican parties for comment via email.

Why It Matters

Special elections are closely watched as a measure of enthusiasm of each party’s voter base, but their results do not always translate to normally scheduled elections. Still, Democrats have generally outperformed Republicans in special elections this year, fueling the party’s optimism about a potential blue wave in the 2026 midterm elections.

What To Know

Famiglietti, who on the campaign trail cast himself as a moderate, defeated Republican Alex Asermely by more than 67 percentage points in Tuesday’s special election, receiving more than 83 percent of the vote. He is now poised to represent Rhode Island’s Fourth District in the state Senate.

That is a substantial improvement on Harris’ margin of victory in the district last November, when she carried it by only about 11 percentage points.

“I am extremely humbled to have been elected to serve the community in which I was born and raised in the state Senate, and I look forward to the opportunity to work on the state level to support our District,” Famiglietti wrote in a statement after his victory.

Rhode Island has long been a safely Democratic state, but some areas in the state have become more competitive in recent years. Former President Joe Biden carried the district by about 17 percentage points in 2020, but former President Barack Obama enjoyed larger margins during his 2008 and 2012 presidential runs.

Although President Donald Trump narrowed Democrats’ margins, Ruggerio remained very popular in the district. He had not faced a Republican opponent in more than a decade and was reelected with nearly 95 percent of the vote in 2024.

Meanwhile, a special election in Delaware saw a Republican outperform Trump’s 2024 margin to make a competitive race in a district Harris won by nine points. Democrat Alonna Berry defeated Republican Nikki Miller by only 121 votes for Houst District 20.

In April, the liberal-aligned Susan Crawford defeated conservative-aligned Brad Schimel in a critical Wisconsin Supreme Court race that was officially nonpartisan. Democrats also overperformed in two Florida House special elections, though Republicans still won. Democrats have also performed well in many other legislative special races, such as an Iowa state House seat in late April. Still, Republicans have overperformed in some elections as well, including a race for the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.

What People Are Saying

Rhode Island state Senate President Valerie Lawson, Senate Majority Leader Frank Ciccone III and Senate Majority Whip David Tikoian, in a statement: “Congratulations to Senator-elect Stefano Famiglietti on his successful campaign and well-earned victory in the election. His deep roots in the community and clear understanding of the priorities of District 4 have resonated with voters, and his commitment to public service is a strong reflection of the values exemplified by Senate President Dominick Ruggerio.”

Alex Asermely, on Facebook: “I want to thank the voters of Senate District 4 who exercised their right to vote in today’s special election. Serving as the Republican nominee has been a great honor, and though the outcome is not what we hoped for, I am deeply moved by the trust and dedication of my team and supporters who have stood behind me in this fight. Just a few moments ago, I spoke with Senator-Elect Stefano Famiglietti and congratulated him on his victory.”