Two Narragansett neighbors live separate lives on policy

Editor’s note: This is the first in a six-part series on state legislative races, chosen based on expected competitiveness between candidates and relevant issues to the district. Of the 113 seats in the Rhode Island General Assembly, all of which are elected every two years, 22 have primaries in September.

Sen. Alana DiMario and her Democratic primary challenger, Mark Mesrobian, live less than a third of a mile apart on the same street in Narragansett.

But the Tupelo Trail neighbors are miles apart in ideology and policy priorities for Senate District 36.

DiMario was first elected in 2020, part of a band of progressive candidates that arrived on Smith Hill that year. A licensed mental health counselor and former chair of the Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture, DiMario, 47, has led the way on state laws to preserve farm and forestland while promoting solar development, increasing access to affordable mental health services and childcare, and securing state funding for a pilot public transit program for people with disabilities. She’s not done.

“I have unfinished work to do,” DiMario said, rattling off mental healthcare issues, coastal protections and infrastructure constraints that require water bans in Narragansett every summer as examples. “The range of issues I become involved with, that are brought to my attention by my constituents, and advocates, just keep adding to the to-do list.”

By contrast, Mesrobian sums up his platform in a single word: business. A serial entrepreneur whose current business involves wholesale and direct-to-consumer eyewear — he also serves as general manager of the Bonnet Shores Beach Club — Merobian sees an unmet need in the business community.

“As a small business owner and the person presenting the budget to the board here at Bonnet, things have been increasing,” Mesrobian, 58, said. “You have double digit healthcare costs, energy is going through the roof, the lack of affordable housing…. It makes it difficult for us to hire, to be competitive.”

Navigating beach club politics

A first-time candidate, Mesrobian acknowledged he did not want to go up against his state representative, Carol Hagan McEntee, who has represented the district since 2015, and also belongs to the members-only beach club. But against DiMario, he saw an opening.

“She and I live on the same street and I’ve never met her once,” he said. “I have more name recognition than she does.”

DiMario in response pointed to her public-facing schedule of community events and outreach. She said has met Mesrobian’s wife while canvassing in the neighborhood.

“I’m one of the most publicly available and accessible lawmakers,” she said. 

DiMario prides herself on robust engagement with her district, which stretches down the eastern side of North Kingstown through Narragansett, and also includes New Shoreham. 

“My record of effectiveness has to do with the good relationships I’ve built, not only with my colleagues and with advocates but with my constituents and the communities I represent,” DiMario said.

DiMario has not faced a primary challenger since 2020, although she had a Republican opponent in the 2022 general election. In 2024, she ran unopposed.

A self-described moderate Democrat backed by the conservative-leaning League of RI Businesses, Mesrobian offers a different viewpoint than DiMario on many of the hot-button issues that have come before the General Assembly in recent years. He opposed the millionaire’s tax enacted in the fiscal 2027 budget. He also said he wanted to consider lowering or eliminating the estate tax and a surcharge on high-value second homes included in the fiscal 2026 budget, often referred to as the Taylor Swift tax, which took effect July 1.

DiMario supported increasing taxes on top earners and on high-value second homes.

Born out of a gun rights campaign, The League of RI Businesses has endorsed a slate of legislative candidates — Democrats, Republicans and a few independents — who prioritize more traditionally conservative talking points like cutting state spending, lowering taxes, and Second Amendment protections 

Mesrobian said gun rights is not one of his “hot-button issues,” but added he would have opposed the 2025 law banning the sale and manufacturing of assault-style weapons. DiMario approved the bill, initially advocating for an even broader ban on assault style weapons. 

DiMario did not comment specifically on their policy differences.

“I don’t really know what his policy positions are,” DiMario said of Mesrobian. “His campaign doesn’t seem to be very policy-focused. A Democratic voter can look at my record and my stances, and know where I stand.”

For Mesrobian, it all comes back to economic issues.

“I’ve been leading people in building budgets for 25 years,” he said. “ I live, eat, and sleep business.” 

The winner of the Sept. 9 primary will be the only candidate on the ballot in the Nov. 3 general election.