In preparation for the primary elections on April 2, Rhode Island legislators and members from both the Democratic and Republican parties will be meeting with residents and community members this month. A full calendar of events for each party can be found on the and the .
Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos will be available Feb. 13 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Wes鈥� Rib House. Matos currently chairs the , the and the .
In recent years, Matos has previously supported , which 鈥渞equires insurance companies to cover both pre-exposure prophylaxis and post-exposure prophylaxis treatments for HIV 鈥� better known as PrEP and PEP, respectively,鈥� The Herald previously reported. Matos also supported a to address housing issues in Rhode Island.
In 2023, Matos to represent Rhode Island鈥檚 1st district in Congress, but . Her campaign focused on housing costs, reproductive justice, the environment and sustainability.
The Rhode Island Republican Conservative Caucus will take place Feb. 10 from 10 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the R.I. GOP Headquarters.
The forum seeks to 鈥減romote public knowledge and interest in conservative political ideology in R.I.,鈥� according to the event鈥檚 .
A pre-Super Bowl fundraiser for David Stone, a Republican candidate for House District 22 (Warwick), will be held Feb. 11 from 3 to 6 p.m. at Ollie鈥檚 Pub.
Stone previously for this position in 2022, but ultimately lost to Rep. Joseph Solomon Jr. (D-Warwick) by roughly 700 votes.
His has mostly focused on issues pertaining to the Ocean State鈥檚 treasury. He also plans on prioritizing 鈥渁ppropriate education, essential healthcare and good business practices.鈥�
Rep. Joseph Solomon Jr. (D-Warwick) will be available Feb. 13 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Public Kitchen & Bar.
During the 2023 legislation session, sponsored , which allocates increased allowance to nursing home residents for personal expenses. He also sponsored , which increased how much a tenant could deduct from their rent to cover the cost of repairs. This bill went into effect as of Jan. 1, The Herald previously reported.
Solomon was also involved in creating a special commission to study Rhode Island鈥檚 declining quahog catch. Quahog clams are an important cultural symbol to the Ocean State, and their declining presence is part of larger environmental issues in the bay, The Herald previously reported.
Senate Majority Whip Valarie Lawson (D-East Providence) will be available Feb. 15 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Chapel Grille. Lawson鈥檚 key legislative priorities include 鈥渆ducation, public health (and) protections for senior citizens,鈥� according to the .
In the 2023 session, she sponsored to 鈥減rotect seniors from being denied supplemental Medicare coverage or charged higher rates based on pre-existing conditions.鈥� Lawson also sponsored a to combat childhood lead poisoning and a to address the .
Lawson helped to support multilingual learners, special education students and high-poverty districts, as well as $1.8 million in the FY 2024 budget to finance services for the state鈥檚 blind and visually impaired students.
Congressman Gabe Amo (RI-1) will be on Feb. 26 from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Stephen Robert 鈥�62 Hall. The event is part of the Noah Krieger 鈥�93 Memorial Lecture, which 鈥渂rings distinguished public servants to campus鈥� and focuses on topics pertaining to policy and economics.
The R.I. Republican Party 鈥淟incoln Day鈥� Dinner will take place Feb. 29 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Event Factory. Through this , Republican party members 鈥渃elebrate the legacy of President Abraham Lincoln 鈥� who was instrumental in shaping the Republican Party.鈥�
Avani Ghosh is a Metro Editor covering politics & justice and community & activism. She is a sophomore from Ohio studying Health & Human Biology and International & Public Affairs. She is an avid earl grey enthusiast and can be found making tea in her free time.
