Senate President Ruggerio announces he is running again, despite health problems
PROVIDENCE – Though his health challenges kept him away from the State House for much of the last legislative session, Senate President Dominick Ruggerio on Thursday reinforced what he told the media last week – he is running for reelection.
"I am very excited to formally launch our re-election campaign,” said Ruggerio, who represents Senate District 4, overlapping Providence and North Providence. “I look forward to continuing to talk with voters over the course of the summer and fall about the ways in which we are working to make North Providence and Providence a better place to raise a family and run a business.”
In an earlier interview, Ruggerio, the 75-year-old political war horse who has served in the legislature since the early 1980s, confirmed to The Journal that he has been battling cancer and other health issues, but said he has been in treatment and feeling progressively stronger.
Why it matters
Should he keep his Senate seat, Ruggerio said, he would also seek re-election to the Senate presidency.
In his formal announcement on Thursday, Ruggerio said: “Rhode Islanders are struggling under the weight of inflation, which is why a chief focus for me has been providing relief to struggling residents and businesses."
He heralded his role as Senate president in the negotiations that resulted in a state budget "eliminating the car tax, eliminating income taxes on veterans’ pensions ... expanding property tax relief programs for seniors ... more than doubling the amount of retirement income exempt from taxation, from $20,000 to $50,000 for individual filers and to $100,000 for joint filers, and eliminating the burdensome tangible tax [on] small businesses."
He also noted his lead role in efforts "to address the lack of primary-care providers and reduce medical debt, while increasing investments in education and child care, and providing relief for public pensioners," he said.
“Serving in the state Senate is a tremendous honor. I work each day to deliver results for the people of North Providence and Providence, and I hope they will do me the honor of supporting me again this year," he said.
He announced a "signature party" on July 2 from 5 to 8 p.m. at his campaign headquarters, 1355 Douglas Ave., North Providence, to gather signatures on his nominating petitions. It is not yet clear if he will face an opponent, as he has in recent years.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: At 75, Senate President Dominic Ruggerio is running again for his seat
