Allyn Meyers elected new GOP chair

A Tiverton computer systems analyst will lead Rhode Island’s Republican Party following a special election Thursday night.

Allyn Meyers won the open seat as GOP chairman, beating fellow candidate Ken Naylor in an 85-74 vote among state party’s central committee members, Niyoka Powell, first vice chair for the GOP, confirmed in an interview Friday.

Meyers fills the leadership role left open after former chairman Joe Powers resigned in January, citing work conflicts. He stressed the importance of unity among members of the minority party as Republicans prepare for state and local elections later this year.

“In Rhode Island, we win when we win together. The Party cannot afford division,” Meyers said in a statement Friday morning. “Victory comes from unifying behind our shared platform and supporting the nominees who emerge from fair, hard-fought primaries.”

Just 14% of the state’s 744,618 registered voters identify as Republicans, according to data from the Rhode Island Department of State. 

Meyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday. The former high school teacher turned small business owner unsuccessfully challenged Sen. Walter Felag for the Senate District 10 seat representing Warren and parts of Bristol and Tiverton twice. He lost to Felag by 20 percentage points in 2022 and 16 percentage points in 2024. 

Powell, who has worked alongside Meyers within the state GOP since 2022 and nominated him as chair, said Meyers was “instrumental” in helping bolster the party’s presence through committee membership and training candidates for office.

“His reach throughout the state is great,” Powell said in an interview Friday. “I think he’ll do a great job leading the party.”

Ken Naylor, president of the Rhode Island Young Republicans, issued a statement Friday thanking his supporters and pledging to “continue fighting” for state Republicans.

“I pray that Allyn succeeds, because if Allyn succeeds, the RIGOP succeeds, and if the RIGOP succeeds, the state of Rhode Island as a whole will succeed,” Naylor said. 

Naylor was nominated by Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz, with backing from Senate Minority Whip Gordon Rogers, Powell said. 

The election at Shriners Imperial Room in Cranston was initially set to be closed to the media. The decision drew objections, including from Powers. Members of the news media were subsequently allowed access before the election took place.

“There were concerns, and the candidates agreed to have it be open, so that’s why it ended the way it did,” Powell said.

The previous decision to bar media access was made by the party’s executive committee, which includes the heads of municipal party committees and the two national chairs. 

Powers did not attend the special election, Powell said.