Stefano Famiglietti and Alexander Asermely share a lot in common: age bracket (30s), hometown (North Providence) and profession (personal injury law).
And both think they are the best person to represent Rhode Island’s Senate District 4.
A special election Tuesday will decide which candidate will fill the seat left open after the death of Senate President Dominick Ruggerio in April. It marks the first time the 22,214 registered voters in the district spanning North Providence and a section of northern Providence will have a new state senator in 40 years; Ruggerio held the seat for 20 consecutive terms starting in 1984.
Famiglietti, the Democratic candidate, pledged to follow in his predecessor’s footsteps, touting Ruggerio’s collaborative approach and devotion to his town.
“Like the Senate president, I have a long history of being very active in the community,” Famiglietti, 33, said in an interview on Monday. “I think that’s what voters really want to see.”
Famiglietti has served on the North Providence Town Council since 2018, and started his own law practice in Providence earlier this year. He swept a four-way Democratic primary in July with 69% of the vote, finishing more than 50 percentage points ahead of the second-highest vote-getter.
Famiglietti also tripled the size of his campaign war chest in the four months leading up to the special election, with $36,000 cash on hand as of July 28, including a $1,800 personal loan, according to reports filed with the Rhode Island Board of Elections.
He raised more than $60,000 in donations since April, primarily from individuals, including $2,000 from Ruggerio’s campaign account, controlled by Ruggerio’s brother-in-law who was also Ruggerio’s treasurer; $1,000 from Senate Majority Whip David Tikoian; and $500 from Senate Majority Leader Frank Ciccone. His $30,000 in campaign expenses since April includes $6,500 for the printing of yard signs and mailers and $5,600 to advertise in The Valley Breeze.
His endorsements include the Rhode Island Senate District 4 Democratic Committee, the Rhode Island AFL-CIO and Ciccone. And his campaign manager is Charles Ruggerio, son of Dominick Ruggerio.
Different in their online presence
While Famiglietti campaign yard signs blanket the district, he has not set up a campaign website. A self-described “old school” candidate, he explained that he thought face time with voters was more important than a website to win a special election.
“It’s about getting out there and introducing yourself, and reintroducing yourself,” Famiglietti said.
Republican Alexander Asermely, by contrast, has a multi-page campaign website with photos, news coverage and a sign up form for volunteers.
A first-time candidate backed by the Rhode Island GOP, Asermely, 39, works for Rubenstein Law out of its Boston office. He raised more than $10,000 since opening a campaign account on June 2, including $1,000 from the Rhode Island Republican Conservative Caucus and $750 from Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz. Asermely has spent nearly $8,000 on his inaugural campaign, with more than $6,800 shelled out in the last two-week period that ended July 28, according to campaign finance reports.
He had $2,000 cash on hand, with a $2,700 unpaid personal loan, as of July 28.
Asermely did not respond to inquiries for comment on Monday.
Asermely’s website cites “crumbling infrastructure,” rising taxes and “eroding Constitutional rights” as problems he wants to address if elected.
Famiglietti has also centered his campaign on local taxes, and wants to increase state aid to Providence and North Providence to relieve district residents from shouldering the burden of municipal revenue shortfalls.
Describing himself as “pro-Second Amendment,” Famiglietti did not support an initial version of a state assault weapons ban considered by the Rhode Island General Assembly this year. He said he still needed to read through the amended version signed into law — which does not ban possession — before taking a position.
“As an attorney, I am always focused on personal rights,” he said.
Famiglietti, who is Catholic, also personally opposes abortion, but had no plans to challenge the state’s existing inclusion of abortion access in the constitution. He also signaled openness to revisiting the newly enacted smoking ban in Rhode Island’s two casinos, which as approved does not take effect until January 2027, and still allows smoking in designated areas.
“I am always willing to listen,” Famiglietti said. “I may not change my mind, but I am open.”
Early voting in the special election continues through 4 p.m. Monday.
More than 700 voters have already cast ballots by mail or in person as of Monday afternoon, according to information from the Rhode Island Department of State and Board of Elections.
The winner of the election will serve the rest of Ruggerio’s two-year term, through 2026.
State lawmakers are paid $20,391.97 a year.
This story was originally published by the Rhode Island Current.
