State Republican lawmaker Patricia Morgan is quietly running for the U.S. Senate

Unlike her fellow Republican competitor, state Rep. Patricia Morgan skipped the rented hall and instead announced her candidacy for U.S. Senate on Facebook.

The 73-year-old Morgan announced so quietly last summer that her candidacy for the seat Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse has held since his 2006 upset victory went virtually unnoticed.

She filed her declaration of candidacy on July 18 and followed it with an Aug. 7, 2023 Facebook post, where she took aim at inflation, the economy and "massive and wasteful federal spending," while billing herself as a "proven problem-solver."

"My opponent has voted for all that spending. He is doing nothing to shore up Social Security and Medicare," she wrote of Whitehouse. "He is oblivious to the dangers of our open Southern border and the dismal performance of children in our schools."

Whitehouse has not yet formally launched his reelection bid, or responded point by point to his GOP opponents' digs.

But after being apprised of Morgan's comments on Tuesday, Whitehouse's office sent along an August 2023 press release about an event where "labor officials and retirees from Rhode Island Council 94 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO and senior advocates ... [called] for passage of Whitehouse’s legislation to protect the solvency of Social Security and Medicare by making the nation’s highest earners contribute a fairer share. " 

His office also sent a link to a Jan. 31 Tweet in which Whitehouse turned the blame for the border situation around, saying: "Democrats want an orderly and secure border. Republicans have a choice: join us in bipartisan border security improvements, or obey Trump’s calls for more border chaos for his political purposes."

Morgan plans to make a formal announcement this spring

Morgan, who faces veteran Republican activist Ray McKay in a GOP primary, had $51,053 in her campaign account as of Dec. 31, 2023, compared to McKay's $22,563 and Whitehouse's $3.4 million.

On Tuesday, she told The Journal she saw no reason to formally announce in mid-summer "when nobody is paying attention,'' but plans to do so in April.

She has one part-time campaign staffer, Anthony D'Ellena, who has described himself as a field organizer for the state Republican Party and head of the Rhode Island branch of Turning Point USA.

What is Morgan's platform?

The ex-wife of a Navy pilot, Morgan describes herself as an advocate for anything that improves the lives of veterans and active service members. 

A top item on Morgan's State House legislative agenda this year is a bill to create what she calls the "American Dream Program" – a $30-million program to provide up to $40,000 in matching funds to "young adults and veterans" buying their first home.

The government, she said, is giving money to build "affordable housing" that subsidizes rent for the tenants. While the renters pay only 25% to 30% of their income for rent, taxpayers make up the difference between what they pay and the market rate, she said.

"With all the resources sloshing around for government-subsidized housing, we can surely dedicate $30 million through my bill to help our citizens attain their American Dream," she said.

Morgan's history in RI's Republican party

A former House minority leader, Morgan mounted an unsuccessful 2018 bid for governor, but lost the GOP primary to Allan Fung 56.4% to 40.1%. She then endorsed the independent running for governor over nominee Fung, which led the tiny bloc of House Republicans to replace her as minority leader.

Since her return to Smith Hill, she has not caucused with the nine-member band of House Republicans, or shared office space with them. At present, she has no desk except for her desk on the House floor.

More: War stories: Patricia Morgan's family legacy drives her resolute support of veterans

Morgan says she has "warm relationships with most of the people in the caucus," but not with current and former Minority Leaders Michael Chippendale and Brian Newberry, so she keeps her distance.

"I am an independent thinker," she said. "I have strong views about Rhode Island and the kinds of legislation we should be voting on that often conflicts with the leadership."

"For example," she continued, "I never would have voted for a $14-billion budget and then [gone out] praising this out of control spending."

In the final 68-to-4 tally, Morgan was one of the four nay votes against the budget bill.

Morgan, who has long had a knack for stirring controversy on social media and in hearing rooms with her attempt to limit teaching on racism and gender identity, describes herself this way on her campaign website:

"An educator, a small business owner and a lifelong community leader. But her most important title is mom and her favorite title remains grandma."

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: A RI Republican state lawmaker is looking to unseat Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse