HARTFORD, Conn. — Gina Raimondo, who as state general treasurer championed a landmark public-pension overhaul law, became Rhode Island's first female governor Tuesday night.
Raimondo, a 43-year-old Democrat, narrowly defeated Republican and Cranston Mayor Allan Fung in an open-seat race. Lincoln Chafee, an independent turned Democrat, did not seek re-election. Raimondo had 40% of the vote, Fung 36% and Moderate Party candidate Robert Healey Jr. 22%.
She will take office Jan. 6.
Pensions hovered over the Rhode Island race. Raimondo ran point on a 2011 pension overhaul bill that is now facing a lawsuit by five public-sector unions after an attempted compromise between state and labor officials fizzled. Fung, meanwhile, negotiated pension concessions from retirees in his city.
"Rhode Island is ready for a governor who can turn this state around," Raimondo told raucous supporters in her victory speech at the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Providence. In winning, she overcame criticism from unions over the pension bill and from other critics who questioned her investment of state pension money into hedge funds.
Raimondo takes over a state tied with Nevada for the highest U.S. unemployment rate. Rhode Island is also home to the 38 Studios bond financing fiasco.
In the Providence mayor's race, independent Vincent "Buddy" Cianci, whose first run in office ended in felony corruption convictions, failed in his comeback attempt. Democrat and former Housing Court judge Jorge Elorza won the seat. Angel Taveras vacated the seat when he ran for governor.
Succeeding Raimondo as general treasurer will be Democrat Seth Magaziner, who beat independent Ernie Almonte by a comfortable margin.
