Judge Domenic DiSandro, chief magistrate of the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal, gives the oath of office to Senate President Dominick Ruggerio on the first day of the legislative session. Also present is Ruggerio’s niece, Natalie Fallon, age 9. (Nancy Lavin/Rhode Island Current)
Senate President Dominick Ruggerio repeatedly assured colleagues there would be no retribution against those who voted against him in a contested caucus election two days after the November general election.
But the new leadership roles bestowed upon his supporters and taken away from opponents might suggest otherwise. Divisions showcased during the Senate Democrats’ Nov. 7 caucus, which pitted Ruggerio against his former right-hand man, Sen. Ryan Pearson, reemerged Tuesday at the start of the first day of the 2025 legislative session.
A dozen Democrats, Pearson included, voted “present” rather than back Ruggerio for another term as their leader in the formal vote Tuesday. Another 26 lawmakers, including all four Republicans, backed Ruggerio for another term as Senate president.
Ruggerio also voted “present,” one of several instances in which the newly recrowned leader paused or stumbled over his words during his first day back behind the dais. Speaking to reporters after the end of the inaugural session, Ruggerio said his vote was a mistake made because he could not hear what he was voting on.
For some, concerns linger over Ruggerio’s ability to lead amid ongoing health problems, which kept him away from the State House for long periods during the 2024 session — the root of the feud between Ruggerio and Pearson, which prompted Ruggerio to replace Pearson with Sen. Valarie Lawson as majority leader.
Ruggerio spoke slowly as he presided from the rostrum Tuesday. But the 76-year-old North Providence Democrat insisted his health was “very good” in comments to reporters.
He was equally insistent that changes to Senate leadership were not retribution against his opponents.
“I felt there should have been a different group,” he said, noting some of the newly dethroned committee chairs had only held leadership positions for a year or two.
Committee heads change
Among the shake-ups: Sen. Matthew LaMountain, a Warwick Democrat, will replace Sen. Dawn Euer, a Newport Democrat, as head of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, while Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski, a South Kingstown Democrat, will lead the Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture, ousting Sen. Alana DiMario, a Narragansett Democrat.
LaMountain, who was also named deputy president pro tempore, and Sosnowski backed Ruggerio as Senate president. DiMario and Euer both voted “present,” but previously backed Pearson during the caucus.
Euer, who asked to see a doctor’s note during the Nov. 7 caucus proving Ruggerio was healthy enough to lead, said his performance during the Tuesday afternoon session only confirmed her decision to vote “present” rather than for Ruggerio as Senate president.
“Today only increased my concerns about his capacity and ability to lead the chamber,” Euer said. “To be Senate president is not a ceremonial role. Their responsibility is to take feedback and input from all of the members. And if there is an inhibition in the ability to do that because of health reasons, I think it harms the entire chamber.”
Euer rebutted Ruggerio’s claim that her ouster as Senate Committee on Judiciary chair was not punishment, reaffirming her record of work leading contentious hearings and advancing high-profile bills on gun restrictions and expanded abortion access in the last two years.
“It was not a merit-based decision,” she said of being replaced.
DiMario, first elected in 2020, cited concerns with the lack of response from Ruggerio and Lawson when asked for specific legislative priorities for the upcoming session as reason why she did not support Ruggerio.
“I have never been one who is overly invested in titles or parking spots,” DiMario said in an interview on Monday, referring to the corresponding change in parking assignments that distinguishes leadership from rank-and-file members. “I really thought having some consistency would be good in terms of productivity and ability to be effective. Instead, everything has changed.”
Greg Pare, a spokesperson for the Senate, said the acceptance speeches Ruggerio and Lawson gave after their elections at the Nov. 7 caucus responded to requests for their priorities.
DiMario and Euer’s demotions aren’t the only changes made to the chamber’s hierarchy. Lawson, an East Providence Democrat, replaces Pearson as Ruggerio’s second-in-command, while Sen. David Tikoian, a Smithfield Democrat, will serve as the majority whip, filling the position formerly held by Lawson.
Four other Senate committees will also get new leaders in the shuffle. Sen. Melissa Murray, a Woonsocket Democrat, will head the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, replacing Sen. Josh Miller, who did not seek reelection. Sen. Hanna Gallo, a Cranston Democrat, will lead the Committee on Education, replacing Sen. Sandra Cano, who suspended her 2024 reelection campaign in order to take a job with the U.S. Small Business Administration. Gallo was also reappointed as Senate president pro tempore.
Sen. Robert Britto of East Providence will lead the Committee on Commerce, replacing Sosnowski, who is now leading the Committee on Environment and Agriculture. Finally, Sen. Jake Bissaillon of Providence will head the Committee on Housing and Municipal Government, replacing the retiring Sen. Roger Picard.
All of the newly named leaders backed Ruggerio in the contested caucus vote and again Tuesday. Two of the new committee leaders, Murray and Bissaillon, never served on the committees that they will now lead. Neither Lawson nor Tikoian led any Senate committees prior to their new leadership positions.
“Val and David are both enormously capable and dedicated leaders,” Ruggerio said during his opening remarks. “I look forward to working with them – and with all of you – towards the betterment of our state.”
Winners and losers
It’s not unprecedented for lawmakers to take on leadership roles in committees on which they have never served, especially in the Senate which has 38 members compared with 75 representatives on the House side, said John Marion, executive director for Common Cause Rhode Island.
It’s also not unusual for feuds over power to end in rewards for the winners, and consequences for the losers — sometimes far beyond chair positions.
“This isn’t the most severe punishment we’ve seen,” Marion said, recalling how former House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello completely removed state representatives from committee duties after they voted against him for the speaker role in 2018.
Who heads a committee is also less consequential on Smith Hill than Capitol Hill due to the way Rhode Island centralizes power in the highest echelon of each chamber: the Senate president and House speaker.
“Committee work is important, but not as important in Rhode Island,” Marion said. “In Congress, the repercussions of being stripped of a committee chair position are far greater.”
Sen. Lou DiPalma, a Middletown Democrat reappointed as head of the Senate Committee on Finance, also saw advantages to bringing “new blood” to leadership positions. The success of legislative leaders depends far more on the cooperation and support of Senate staff and fellow lawmakers than on their legislative resume, he said.
“It becomes our job as the seniors, the veterans, the old guys, to work with the new committee chairs,” said DiPalma, who was first elected to the Senate in 2008.
But will the senators who did not vote for Ruggerio as president be able to move past their distrust and ongoing concerns?
Sen. Tiara Mack, a Providence Democrat who voted for Pearson at the caucus, answered yes.
“Rhode Island has too many pressing issues,” she said, citing the projected budget deficit, housing crisis, and potential repercussions from a Republican trifecta in D.C.. “I hope we can put this behind us and really commit to a list of policies that are going to put Rhode Island working families, residents of every city and town, on a pathway to success.”
DiMario also cast her apparent demotion in a positive light.
“Not being a member of the leadership team anymore, it is a little more freeing to be able to truly vote the way I feel represents my constituents,” she said. “All this attention paid on titles and parking spots, I would hope this is the end of it.”
Sen. Frank Ciccone, a Providence Democrat, was also reappointed to head the Senate Committee on Labor, while Sen. Mark McKenney, a Warwick Democrat, will continue to chair the Senate Committee on Rules, Government Ethics and Oversight. Sen. Walter Felag, a Bristol Democrat, will remain head of the Senate Committee on Special Legislation and Veterans’ Affairs.
What about the Republicans?
The schisms among Senate Democrats may present an opportunity for Senate Republicans, who are normally unable to effect change due to their small number. Yet all four Senate Republicans voted for Ruggerio as Senate president.
Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz of North Smithfield, who was reelected by her fellow Republicans on Monday to lead them, was not available for comment on Tuesday. But Euer hinted that Republicans might find some mutual understanding on issues with the dozen Democrats who voted “present” during the leadership vote on other issues.
“I think there’s common ground there around wanting to make sure there’s accountability,” Euer said.
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