AG candidates show mostly subtle differences in first public forum

Four of the five candidates running to be Rhode Island’s next attorney general tried to set themselves apart during their first public forum Thursday morning in Providence. But they mostly agreed on the issues of gun safety legislation, reining in federal immigration raids, and funding domestic violence prevention.

The Democrats seeking to succeed term-limited Attorney General Peter Neronha get a second chance to talk about their priorities Thursday evening during another forum hosted by the state’s police chiefs.

Democratic candidates Kim Ahern, Keith Hoffmann, and Jason Knight joined Republican candidate Alan Gordon before a 100-person audience at an hour-long forum inside the auditorium of the Lincoln School on Providence’s East Side. The forum was moderated by Boston Globe reporter Ed Fitzpatrick and hosted by Sojourner House, a nonprofit that provides services to victims of domestic violence, sexual violence and human trafficking, such as emergency housing and counseling.

Rep. Joseph Solomon, a Warwick Democrat, was not present. He said in an email to Rhode Island Current that “longstanding personal commitment” kept him from attending.

“Sojourner House does critical work for survivors of domestic violence, and think their work is so valuable,” Solomon said. “I also look forward to participating in a number of additional forums this primary, especially those broadcast statewide, so every Rhode Islander has the chance to tune in.”

Solomon was scheduled to attend a Democratic candidate forum at at 5:30 p.m., hosted by the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association at the Rhode Island Nursing Education Center.

Ahern, Hoffmann and Knight have all worked for the attorney general’s office in the past.

Ahern highlighted the more than 1,000 violent crimes she prosecuted during her nine years as assistant attorney general under Neronha and his predecessors, Peter Kilmartin and Patrick Lynch. She added she has personally fought for survivors and to advance criminal justice reform in the state. 

“When Donald Trump or anyone else threatens the rights of Rhode Islanders, it is the attorney general who needs to be the first person to stand in their way and fight back,” Ahern said. “I’ve done that before and I am ready to do that again.”

Ahern, who previously chaired the state’s Cannabis Control Commission, offered one way she stood out from her competitors.

“I am confident that I am the only person on the stage that has won a national championship in women’s rugby,” she said.

Hoffmann, Neronha’s chosen successor, highlighted his recent work as the chief of policy and senior counsel for the AG’s office where he helped spearhead the state’s many legal responses against the Trump administration.

“This election for Attorney General is critical,” Hoffmann said. “It’s critical to the people of this state that need someone in their corner to fight for them. I believe that I have the experience and the energy and the ability to fight for you all, for us all, and to make our state safer, stronger, and fairer for everyone.”

Knight pitched himself as “the whole package” thanks to his background in the U.S. Navy, four years as a special assistant AG, and 10 years representing parts of Barrington and Warren in the State House.

“I bring experience, the right set of values, a knack for getting things done in state government,” he said. 

That includes the ban on assault-style weapons that took effect July 1. Knight was the lead sponsor of last year’s House bill, which banned the sale and manufacturing of certain rifles, shotguns, and handguns. He said the new law will better protect Rhode Islanders from gun violence.

“We can’t let up on the gas,” Knight said.

Which is why Knight said he would intensely advocate for legislation that got stuck in committee this legislative session. One would have required prospective gun owners to complete an eight-hour firearm safety course to obtain a permit to purchase any firearm. The other sought to open the gun industry to civil lawsuits over crimes committed with their weapons.

Solomon voted against the law, recently telling WJAR he believed it was “probably one of the most restrictive in the entire nation.” 

Hoffmann pushed for reforms such as providing mental health care and strengthening red flag laws. Ahern also said she would focus on keeping guns out of the hands of criminals and individuals with documented mental health histories.

Another perspective

Gordon has never worked for the AG’s office. But he said he’s very familiar with its criminal side, having been arrested multiple times for his religious use of cannabis prior to its recreational legalization by the state in 2022.

“I’ve got an advantage over these people because I’ve been abused by that office,” he said. “They haven’t.”

What also sets him apart, Gordon said, is his ability to think of outside-the-box solutions. Chief among them: a voluntary $2-per-pay-period withholding for all working men in order to fund shelter operations for domestic violence nonprofits such as Sojourner House.

“A man can show that paystub to anyone he wants to impress,” Gordon said. “And the best part about it might be that there’s no federal funding, so Trump can’t touch it.”

Gordon did not offer much on firearms, other than saying the AG has to enforce the statutes of Rhode Island and the Constitution “whether or not we feel one way or the other about a law.” 

“I don’t think that these firearm restrictions are keeping guns out of the hands of criminals,” he said.

Gordon instead focused on men who encourage women to get abortions.

“When I’m attorney general, any man who pressures a pregnant woman one way or the other is going to come under my lens of criminal scrutiny,” he said.

Candidates also touched on what actions they would take to protect Rhode Island’s immigrant communities, particularly from arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers inside the state’s courthouses.

A new state law passed on the final day of the 2026 legislative session requires law enforcement officers who enter a courthouse to identify themselves to security and promptly present any arrest warrant or judicial order for review. Violators of the law could be found in contempt of court and open to civil action.

The three Democrats present and Gordon all pledged to hold federal officers accountable. Gordon committed to prosecuting ICE officers who “conduct an unlawful arrest” in the state.

Ahern said she would meet with the Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, the Superintendent of the State Police, and the head of the Division of Sheriffs during her first week as AG to ensure compliance with the new law.

“To enforce this, we need to ensure that everybody is properly trained,” she said.

All four candidates similarly pushed for more online court hearings as a way to both modernize legal proceedings and protect immigrants.

“There can be no one in this state who’s effectively denied access to the courts because there’s no hearing process or forms in their language that are easy to access,” Hoffmann said.

On preventing domestic violence, the Democrats pledged to partner with local organizations to support victims and prioritize investigations into those crimes. They also agreed that expanding access to housing is critical to helping victims safely leave abusive relationships.

For the Democratic candidates, that means working with the General Assembly to secure additional funding for organizations like Sojourner House. Gordon stuck to his “Man Up” plan as the way to ensure stable funding.

“Expect a miracle,” Gordon said. “We’re gonna break this cycle.”

The primary is Wednesday, Sept. 9, with a Nov. 3 general election. Early voting begins Aug. 20.