Reed, Magaziner on Hand for Cotter Campaign Launch

By Cynthia Drummond for BRVCA
August 19th 2024

RICHMOND – U.S. Senator Jack Reed and Congressman Seth Magaziner were among the Democrats who turned out on Sunday morning to support Rep. Megan Cotter in her bid for reelection.

Cotter, who represents District 39, comprising Richmond, Hopkinton and Exeter, is seeking a second term in the General Assembly. Cotter lost to Republican Justin Price in 2020, but in 2022, she defeated Price by just 32 votes.

About 50 people attended the launch, which took place at a local bakery.

Cotter described major accomplishments in her first term, which included securing additional funding for the Chariho School District, obtaining a van to transport patients of Wood River Health Services, and the formation of the Forest Management Fire Prevention Commission, following the 2023 forest fire in Exeter,

“We worked hard to get two additional forest rangers and adding $13 million to the Green Bond which is Question 4,” she said. “…and, something super-exciting, I spoke to the Speaker, [House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi] and we’re launching the Green Bond initiative right here, in District 39.”

Reed praised Cotter’s legislative record and stressed the significance of the races for state and local office.

“It’s not about high-level politics as much as it’s about your community, your representatives,” he said.

Magaziner, who serves Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District, also emphasized the importance of the local offices.

“It is not easy work, but it is so important,” he said. “It’s  important to this community, but it is also important for all of us  to show that, as Democrats, we can deliver real results that will make a difference in people’s lives. And, I’ve said this before, but particularly here in Richmond, look, we are Team Normal and they are Team Extreme.”

The Local Candidates

Among the local candidates on hand to support Cotter were Richmond Town Council member Samantha Wilcox, who is running for reelection, and Planning Board Vice Chair Dan Madnick, who is running for a seat on the Town Council.

Wilcox said,

“We were hearing before Biden stepped down that people were not excited to vote, and I think that change has gotten people a lot more excited to vote which is going to be great for Town Council and School Committee, because that trickles down.”

Madnick, who ran unsuccessfully for a Town Council seat two years ago, said he was noticing a difference this time. In addition to the usual complaints about Richmond’s tax rate, voters are telling him that they are unhappy with the squabbling

“The other main concern that comes up is the behavior of our elected officials, and that goes from the local level all the way up to the federal level,” he said. “… As leaders, we have to set an example, we have to be good role models. And so, you have to be careful about who you elect and make sure you’re electing people that want to compromise and built a culture where everyone is able to share their opinions and not be ridiculed.”

Mark Reynolds and Jim Palmisciano are also seeking council seats. Reynolds currently chairs the town’s Tax Assessment Board of Review, and Palmisciano previously served on the Town Council, as Vice President, from 2020 to 2022. (Reynolds and Palmisciano, along with Madnick, are members of the Richmond Community Alliance political action committee.)

Reynolds said he was hopeful that people would make a greater effort to vote in November.

“There’s been more excitement, more energy in the presidential campaign which, hopefully, will turn more people out, but we have to encourage them to vote down – ballot and not just vote at the top of the ballot,” he said.

Palmisciano said he believed that voters were more engaged in this campaign.

“They see the opportunity to have a group of people who are going to work for them locally and have those connections with people like Megan [Cotter] and Steve [Moffitt]. We’ll finally be able to have state representation to support us in this town,” he said. 

Moffitt, who is currently a member of the Hopkinton Town Council, is running against the Republican incumbent, Sen. Elaine Morgan in District 34. Moffitt credited Cotter for encouraging him to run.

“She’s motivated me to seek the state Senate seat,” he said. “…I would say there’s definitely an uptick in enthusiasm. People seem a little more interested because of the change on top of the ticket. I think there’s a lot less apathy.”

Chariho School Committee members Jessica Purcell and Karen Reynolds, are both running for reelection.

Purcell said voters are telling her that they value and support the Chariho public schools.

“It becomes clear that they prioritize our school system and that our schools are valuable to a lot of people,” she said. “They talk sometimes about what we don’t have here, which is garbage removal or [town] water, but they always come back to what we do have, which is a strong school system.”

Reynolds, a teacher in another school district, said she believed that voters are increasingly aware of what is at stake for Chariho.

“I think more people need to become aware of it and I think, Jess and I, we’re going around, we’re making that happen,” she said. “And this is really important to our town.”

Democratic Town Committee Chair Chris Kona said he was impressed by the turnout for Cotter’s campaign launch.

We had a great showing today,” he said. “I am really excited to see so many people come out to support Megan, to help support the local Democrats. It’s great to see support from the congressional delegation for the down-ballot efforts.”

Reed said this year’s voter engagement was likely a ripple effect generated by the re-energized national Democrats.

“… what’s happening is, the Harris campaign is generating so much excitement, particularly in young people, who have felt completely left out of the presidency, because of, frankly the age of the candidate,” he said. “But now what we’re seeing is great momentum, also great momentum among women, and that is going bring people to the polls everywhere.”

Cotter said after the event that she was hopeful that the work she had done during her first term would boost her chances of reelection.

“It’s very different this time, because I’m running on a record and he’s running on his,” she said, referring to Price. “I really had some tangible results that I brought home for Richmond and District 39 and my hope is that our community sees it and they don’t see me just as another Democrat, but they see me as someone who’s working for them.”