Don Carlson (Rhode Island)
Don Carlson (Democratic Party) ran in a special election to the U.S. House to represent Rhode Island's 1st Congressional District. Carlson lost in the special Democratic primary on September 5, 2023. Carlson unofficially withdrew from the race but appeared on the primary election ballot on September 5, 2023.
Carlson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.
On August 27, 2023, Carlson announced he would withdraw from the Rhode Island's 1st Congressional District special election.[1]
Biography
Carlson received a B.A. in political economy from Williams College in 1983 and a J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1986.[2]
Carlson has served as a business leader, attorney, and professor.[2]
2023 battleground election
Ballotpedia identified the September 5, 2023, Democratic primary as a battleground race. The summary below is from our coverage of this election, found here.
Gabe Amo defeated 10 candidates in the Democratic special primary election for Rhode Island's 1st Congressional District on September 5, 2023. He advanced to the general election on November 7, 2023. The previous incumbent, David Cicilline (D), resigned on May 31, 2023, to run the Rhode Island Foundation.[3][4]
Among the 11 candidates were Rhode Island's lieutenant governor, three incumbent state legislators, one local official, two former state representatives, and a former White House aide. Gabe Amo, Sandra Cano, Don Carlson, Sabina Matos, and Aaron Regunberg had received the most media attention and endorsements.
The Boston Globe's Edward Fitzpatrick said, "In a traditional congressional race, such support [endorsements] might be merely routine. But political observers say that in a low-turnout special election such as this one, when fewer than 10,000 votes could decide the winner, these types of endorsements carry extra value, especially when they come with on-the-ground support."[5] While most candidates had similar platforms, according to The Cook Political Report, the race "could ripen into a traditional Democratic primary battle between Matos, the mainstream Democrat, and Regunberg, the progressive."[6]
Amo was a special assistant to President Joe Biden (D) and deputy director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.[7] Amo said, "I know how to work together to deliver results on what really matters, including housing, health care, reproductive freedom, and safety from gun violence."[8] The Congressional Black Caucus PAC endorsed Amo.[9]
Cano represented Rhode Island State Senate District 8 since 2018. Cano said, "Throughout my time in public service, I’ve worked hard to enact policies that truly make a difference – from stronger gun safety laws, to the codification of Roe v. Wade in Rhode Island, to income tax exemptions on retirement and Social Security income, and more."[10] The National Education Association Rhode Island and United Nurses & Allied Professionals endorsed Cano.[5]
Carlson was a business leader, attorney, and professor.[11] Carlson said, "I’ve learned the strengths and weaknesses of our system of democratic capitalism from the inside out. ... And I have a solid perspective on how to make our system work better for every American family ..."[12] The LGBTQ+ Victory Fund endorsed Carlson.[13] He suspended his campaign on August 27, 2023.[14]
Matos was Rhode Island's lieutenant governor and was the only statewide elected official in the race. Matos said, "I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and continue fighting for the things that matter: addressing the cost of housing, reproductive freedom, working to solve our climate crisis, and protecting our democracy."[15] Emily's List, the Latino Victory Fund, and Elect Democratic Women endorsed Matos.[16][17]
Regunberg represented Rhode Island House of Representatives District 4 from 2015 to 2018. He then attended law school and worked as a judicial clerk in the U.S. District Courts.[18] Regunberg said, "I know that, together, our communities can take on these dangerous forces – the gun industry, fossil fuel companies, Big Pharma, and their Republican allies – and win. That’s why I’m running for Congress."[19] U.S. Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) endorsed Regunberg.[20]
Stephanie Beauté, Walter Berbrick, Stephen Casey, Spencer Dickinson, John Goncalves, Ana Quezada, and Allen Waters also ran in the primary.
During the 2022 general election for this district, The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, and Sabato's Crystal Ball rated the district Solid Democratic. Daily Kos calculated what the results of the 2020 presidential election in this district would have been following redistricting. Joe Biden (D) would have defeated Donald Trump (R) 63.8%-34.7%.[21]
As of February 10, 2026, 13 special elections have been called for the 118th Congress. From the 113th Congress to the 117th Congress, 67 special elections were held. For more data on historical congressional special elections, click here.
Elections
2023
See also: Rhode Island's 1st Congressional District special election, 2023
Rhode Island's 1st Congressional District special election, 2023 (September 5 Democratic primary)
Rhode Island's 1st Congressional District special election, 2023 (September 5 Republican primary)
General election
Special general election for U.S. House Rhode Island District 1
Gabe Amo defeated Gerry Leonard in the special general election for U.S. House Rhode Island District 1 on November 7, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Gabe Amo (D)  | 64.9 | 43,290 |
 | Gerry Leonard (R) | 35.1 | 23,393 | |
| Total votes: 66,683 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Stephen Earle (Independent)
- Julian J. Smith (Independent)
- Richard O'Shea (Independent)
- John Vitkevich (Independent)
- Jeffrey Lemire (Independent)
- Christopher Reynolds (Independent)
- Joseph Jean-Philippe (Independent)
- Paul Rianna Jr. (Independent)
- John Ritchie (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Special Democratic primary for U.S. House Rhode Island District 1
The following candidates ran in the special Democratic primary for U.S. House Rhode Island District 1 on September 5, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Gabe Amo | 32.4 | 12,946 |
 | J. Aaron Regunberg | 24.9 | 9,960 | |
 | Sandra Cano | 13.9 | 5,574 | |
 | Sabina Matos | 8.0 | 3,210 | |
 | Stephen Casey | 5.8 | 2,329 | |
 | Walter Berbrick | 3.6 | 1,453 | |
 | Ana Quezada | 3.5 | 1,415 | |
 | John Goncalves | 2.8 | 1,118 | |
 | Don Carlson (Unofficially withdrew) | 1.7 | 690 | |
 | Allen Waters | 1.3 | 503 | |
 | Stephanie Beauté | 1.1 | 428 | |
 | Spencer Dickinson | 0.9 | 354 | |
| Total votes: 39,980 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Bella Noka (D)
- Nicholas Autiello II (D)
- Nathan Biah (D)
- Paul LeBon (D)
- Toni Sfameni (D)
- Kathleen Gaskell (D)
- Larry Hutchinson Jr. (D)
- Gregory Mundy (D)
- Michael Tillinghast (D)
- Marvin Abney (D)
- Mickeda Barnes (D)
Republican primary election
Special Republican primary for U.S. House Rhode Island District 1
Gerry Leonard defeated Terri Flynn in the special Republican primary for U.S. House Rhode Island District 1 on September 5, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Gerry Leonard | 75.7 | 3,076 |
 | Terri Flynn | 24.3 | 989 | |
| Total votes: 4,065 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- William LeBron Jr. (R)
- Barrett Lynton (R)
- Gary Donald (R)
- Uloma Ekpete Kama (R)
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
We provide results for polls that are included in polling aggregation from FiveThirtyEight and RealClearPolitics, when available. No polls were available for this election. To notify us of polls published in this election, please email us.
Election campaign finance
This section contains campaign finance figures from the Federal Election Commission covering all candidate fundraising and spending in this election.[22] It does not include information on fundraising before the current campaign cycle or on spending by satellite groups. The numbers in this section are updated as candidates file new campaign finance reports. Candidates for Congress are required to file financial reports on a quarterly basis, as well as two weeks before any primary, runoff, or general election in which they will be on the ballot and upon the termination of any campaign committees.[23] Click here to view the reporting schedule for candidates in this special election.
| Rhode Island's 1st Congressional District special election reporting schedule, 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Report | Close of books | Filing deadline |
| July quarterly | 6/30/2023 | 7/15/2023 |
| Pre-primary | 8/16/2023 | 8/24/2023 |
| October quarterly | 9/30/2023 | 10/15/2023 |
| Pre-general | 10/18/2023 | 10/26/2023 |
| Post-general | 11/27/2023 | 12/7/2023 |
| Year-end 2023 | 12/31/2023 | 1/31/2024 |
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gabe Amo | Democratic Party | $1,278,758 | $923,129 | $355,629 | As of November 27, 2023 |
| Stephanie Beauté | Democratic Party | $26,157 | $26,157 | $0 | As of December 31, 2023 |
| Walter Berbrick | Democratic Party | $204,055 | $204,055 | $0 | As of October 13, 2023 |
| Sandra Cano | Democratic Party | $366,322 | $354,802 | $11,520 | As of December 31, 2024 |
| Don Carlson | Democratic Party | $1,039,277 | $1,039,277 | $0 | As of November 14, 2023 |
| Stephen Casey | Democratic Party | $105,835 | $79,854 | $25,981 | As of December 31, 2024 |
| Spencer Dickinson | Democratic Party | $34,200 | $15,623 | $29,577 | As of August 16, 2023 |
| John Goncalves | Democratic Party | $206,449 | $206,449 | $0 | As of September 29, 2023 |
| Sabina Matos | Democratic Party | $683,028 | $681,500 | $1,527 | As of December 31, 2024 |
| Ana Quezada | Democratic Party | $92,853 | $92,655 | $198 | As of December 1, 2023 |
| J. Aaron Regunberg | Democratic Party | $796,444 | $783,085 | $13,359 | As of December 31, 2024 |
| Allen Waters | Democratic Party | $9,118 | $7,765 | $1,353 | As of September 30, 2023 |
|
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2023. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
|||||
Satellite spending
- See also: Satellite spending
Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[24][25]
If available, satellite spending reports by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and OpenSecrets.org are linked below. FEC links include totals from monthly, quarterly, and semi-annual reports. OpenSecrets.org compiles data from those reports as well as 24- and 48-hour reports from the FEC.[26]
Details about satellite spending of significant amounts and/or reported by media are included below those links. The amounts listed may not represent the total satellite spending in the election. To notify us of additional satellite spending, email us.
| By candidate | By election |
|---|---|
Endorsements
This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.
Carlson received the following endorsements.
- U.S. Rep. Jim Himes (D)
- LGBTQ+ Victory Fund
Campaign themes
2023
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Don Carlson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Carlson's responses.
| Collapse all
- Climate change is the most pressing existential threat that we face, and the threat is growing worse with every passing day. We are running out of time to reverse the human-induced effects of climate change.
- Gun violence is our national curse. MAGA Republicans and their allies stubbornly block action to end the scourge of gun violence. It’s time to summon the courage to stand up to the powerful gun lobby to do what the majority of Americans want: pass meaningful gun safety laws and get weapons of war off our streets, out of our classrooms, concert venues, movie theaters, places of worship, and everywhere else that our communities gather together.
- My daughters and their peers are now fighting the same battle that their grandmothers fought and won half a century ago. Access to abortion care has been a Constitutional right since 1975. The Supreme Court is no longer a paragon of objectivity, integrity and truth that it once was. Instead, the Supreme Court majority has an extreme right agenda that it is hellbent on inflicting on Americans families.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign ads
| August 14, 2023 |
| July 31, 2023 |
| July 28, 2023 |
View more ads here:
See also
2023 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ GoLocalProv News, "Carlson Drops Out of Congressional Race - Throws Support Behind Cano," August 27, 2023
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 LinkedIn, "Don Carlson," accessed August 14, 2023
- ↑ CNN, "Rep. David Cicilline to resign from Congress June 1 to run foundation," February 21, 2023
- ↑ Clerk.House.gov, "Office of the First Congressional District of Rhode Island to Remain Open to Serve and Assist Constituents," accessed August 15, 2023
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 The Boston Globe, "Cano and Amo pick up key endorsements in the R.I. congressional race," July 13, 2023
- ↑ The Cook Political Report, "Layers of Chaos in RI-01 Special Election's Democratic Primary," July 25, 2023
- ↑ WPRI, "From Pawtucket to Washington: RI native lands key White House job," January 26, 2023
- ↑ Twitter, "Gabe Amo," accessed August 16, 2023
- ↑ WPRI, "Congressional Black Caucus PAC backs Amo in race for Cicilline seat," July 13, 2023
- ↑ Sandra Cano for U.S. Congress, "Ballot Letter," accessed August 16, 2023
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Don Carlson," accessed August 14, 2023
- ↑ Don Carlson Democrat for Congress, "My Platform," accessed August 16, 2023
- ↑ The Boston Globe, "The latest political news in Rhode Island," August 14, 2023
- ↑ Go Local Prov News, "NEW: Carlson Drops Out of Congressional Race - Throws Support Behind Cano," August 27, 2023
- ↑ Sabina Matos United States Congress, "Home," accessed July 25, 2023
- ↑ WPRI, "Powerful Laborers union throws its weight behind Matos in race for Congress," July 14, 2023
- ↑ Emily's List, "EMILYs List Endorses Sabina Matos for Election to Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District," June 21, 2023
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Aaron Regunberg," accessed August 13, 2023
- ↑ Aaron Regunberg for Congress, "Dear Neighbor," accessed July 25, 2023
- ↑ WPRI, "High-profile progressive lawmakers Khanna, Schakowsky back Regunberg for Congress," July 11, 2023
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2020 presidential results by congressional district, for new and old districts," September 29, 2021
- ↑ Fundraising by primary candidates can be found on the race's respective primary election page. Fundraising by general election candidates can be found on the race's general election page.
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Rhode Island special election reporting: 1st Congressional District (2023)," accessed July 24, 2023
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ Amee LaTour, Email correspondence with the Center for Responsive Politics, August 5, 2022
