New Cranston Democrats win 11 ward Committee seats, sweep Ward 1, as slate-backed council candidates advance – SteveAhlquist.news
In Wednesday’s Democratic primary, Cranston voters elected 11 members of the New Cranston Democrats slate to the Cranston Democratic City Committee, including majorities of the nine-member committees in Ward 1. One candidate on the slate also tied for 9th and 10th place in the race for the Ward 2 City Committee. All three City Council candidates supported by the organization also advanced, with Avery Mangahas and Sara Haupt winning their primaries decisively and Dante Diwan and Sara Haupt looking ahead to the general election.
See: Civil engineer Sara Haupt is running for Cranston City Council, Ward 2
The New Cranston Democrats began as a group of neighbors, parents, renters, teachers, healthcare workers, service members, and faith leaders who believed their city deserved better than a $10 million budget deficit, cuts to schools and senior services, and a local party with no alternative plan for Cranston’s future. Rather than wait for change, they ran for it, filing the first contested slate for the city’s Democratic ward committees in years. Along the way, three slate members stepped up further and ran for City Council.
“Cranston voters said clearly that they want a Democratic Party that shows up, does the work, and offers a real plan for our city’s future and finances,” said Avery Mangahas, Chair of the New Cranston Democrats. “We’re your neighbors. We ran because nothing changes if nothing ever changes, and in last week’s primary, our neighbors chose change. Now the work begins: a party with a responsible budget plan, fully funded schools, real accountability, and doors open to every Democrat in Cranston.
“We look forward to working collaboratively where there is alignment with the incumbent Democratic City Council and City Committee members to build a plan for our city’s future that we can all get behind, informed by the input from residents across our city. But first we need to win as many seats on the City Council as possible to have the power to make that change, and hold Mayor Ken Hopkins and Republican mismanagement accountable for years of misleading the public about the health of the city’s finances.”
In the City Council races, Avery Mangahas won the Ward 1 Democratic primary with 60 percent of the vote, and Sara Haupt won the Ward 2 primary with 56 percent. Both victories signal a desire among the city’s Democratic primary voters for new perspectives and a culture change at City Hall.
Ward 1: Michael Beauregard, Andrew Belcher, Edgar Cintron, Avery Mangahas, David-Banks Richardson
Ward 2: Sara Jane Haupt, Connor Mathis, Kokila Mendis, Sanford Pliskin, Catherine Tiley
Ward 3: Tamica Jefferson
Ward 5: Nicholas Tasca
The organization now turns to the November 3 general election, where Sara Haupt will compete for the Ward 2 council seat and Dante Diwan continues his campaign for the Ward 4 council seat. The New Cranston Democrats will knock doors, make calls, and organize neighbors every week between now and then.
Residents can learn more, volunteer, or, most importantly, donate to raise much-needed funds for the general election campaign at TheNewCranstonDemocrats.org.
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