The outcome of who would control the Rhode Island General Assembly was decided well in advance of Nov. 5 — so few Democratic incumbents were challenged statewide that they were guaranteed a majority back in June.

On Election Night, though, both Warwick Democrats and Republicans watched results come in with bated breath — the former, hoping to take back the one seat that they had lost in 2022; the latter, hoping to widen that foothold in a city they would need to be competitive in in order to make gains in Rhode Island.

As it turns out, both will get their wish — if Peter Appollonio Jr. can survive a recount.

In House District 21, considered one of the premier flip opportunities for Republicans statewide, Marie Hopkins took an early lead and didn’t look back.

Hopkins, who had lost by 38 votes in 2022, had spent much of the day campaigning at polling places throughout the district, and ended at the Pilgrim Senior Center.

Two hours before polls closed, she was feeling confident.

“I’m getting incredibly positive feedback,” Hopkins said. “The greatest thing about this part of the day- nobody’s arguing, nobody’s having hard feelings. You’re talking to everyone on an equal playing field. We’re all trying to get over the finish line, and there’s no competition anymore.”

Ultimately, Hopkins would take 50.7% of the vote against outgoing Ward 4 councilman and Democratic candidate James McElroy.

On the other hand, the Senate District 29 race between Appollonio and Anthony DeLuca — Warwick’s sole incumbent Republican — ended up even closer than 2022’s matchup between Hopkins and outgoing representative Camille Vella-Wilkinson. After absentee ballots were counted, Appollonio was clinging to a 25-vote lead out of almost 13,500 votes cast in the district.

DeLuca said the day after results came in that he was not conceding yet, and was filing the paperwork to request a recount.

“We’re within the margin, so we’re going to be filing the paperwork,” DeLuca said. “Hopefully I can pull this victory off and continue to represent the people at the State House.”

House District 26, which contains a sliver of the westernmost part of the city, ended up flipping as well. In what had been GOP Senate candidate Patricia Morgan’s seat, Democrat Earl Read III won handily. Though he only received 51.5% of the vote, the remaining total was split between Republican Jeffrey Fisher, who took 36.7%, and independent candidate Vincent Marzullo, who won 11.7%. Read won Warwick’s portion of the district with 149 votes to Fisher’s 80 and Marzullo’s 24.

Warwick’s two other contested General Assembly races were not expected to be close affairs, and both were called relatively quickly on Election Night.  

In House District 22- consisting of Oakland Beach, Warwick Neck and the southern portion of Hoxsie —  Rep. Joe Solomon Jr. (D) defeated David Stone (R) in a 2022 rematch. Senate District 31, consisting of the northern and western parts of the city, saw another rematch, with Sen. Matthew LaMountain (D) earning a second term against Lisa Morse (R).

Morse made up a bit of ground from her 2022 performance, receiving 39% of the vote; she had received 38.1% in 2022. Stone moved in the other direction, receiving 42.4% of the vote in his race. He had received 43.7% against Solomon in 2022.

Magaziner, Whitehouse head back to Washington

In 2022, Seth Magaziner’s camp was entering Election Night as the underdogs. His opponent — former Cranston mayor Allan Fung — had led every poll taken of the race.

That Election Night, though, Magaziner ended up pulling out the victory, winning by 4% overall.

In 2024, though, Magaziner was the clear favorite over Republican contender Steve Corvi, and on Election Night, showed why.

Warwick gave Magaziner an even 60% of the vote, and he would receive 58% of the vote in Rhode Island’s second district as a whole.

“I am honored by the trust and confidence the voters of Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District have placed in me to serve them for a second term in the United States House of Representatives,” Magaziner stated after the race was called. “As I return to Washington, I remain committed to fighting for the priorities that matter most to Rhode Islanders; protecting Social Security and Medicare, cutting costs for working people, protecting the Affordable Care Act, enacting common-sense gun safety legislation, and defending women’s right to choose.”

On the Senate side, Sheldon Whitehouse won a fourth term, prevailing over Morgan, winning 57.6% of the city’s vote. Statewide, Whitehouse won 59.5% of the vote.