Campaign finances filings show R.I. Democratic congressional delegates sitting on healthy reserves

The state’s Democratic congressional delegates up for re-election this year are showing healthy war chests, according to first quarter campaign finance reports with the Federal Elections Commission.

U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner reported he had over $1 million in cash on hand as of March 31 for his reelection bid to seek a second term in his 2nd Congressional District seat.

The first quarter filing deadline was Monday.

Republican Steven Corvi, a Warwick resident, formally announced his campaign to run for the 2nd Congressional District seat to the news media on April 13. Corvi, whose LinkedIn page says he has a Ph.D. in history, is listed as an adjunct history professor at Bentley University and Northeastern University. 

In the 1st Congressional District race, U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo reported he has $511,000 on hand as he runs to hold on to the seat he just got elected to last November.

Amo’s Republican opponent in the November 2023 special election, Gerry W. Leonard Jr. of Jamestown, still has his campaign account open with about $1,315 in it as of March 31.

Leonard’s former campaign manager Brandon Bell said he could not say whether Leonard intended to run again. “I hope he does, he’s the right guy for RI!” Bell said via text message.

Filings show the pair of Republican challengers looking to unseat incumbent Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse face a steep uphill battle. Whitehouse, who is seeking a fourth term in the U.S. Senate, is sitting on $3.6 million in cash on hand for the period ending March 31.

No quarterly report was yet listed for state Rep. Patricia Morgan, a West Warwick Republican. As of Dec. 31, 2023, she had $51,054 on hand. Morgan said via email she did file the latest quarterly report and that it was accepted. 

The first quarter report for Raymond Tyler McKay of Warwick showed the retired Warwick network/communications manager had $10,204 available.