PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Rhode Island’s District 11 Senate seat has been won by a Republican.
John Pagliarini Jr. officially won the Senate District 11 race on Wednesday to replace former Sen. Christopher Ottiano, a Portsmouth Republican, who resigned in October.
Pagliarini won after picking up additional votes through absentee and emergency ballots. He earned 1,327 votes, beating out Democratic candidate James Seveney, who earned 1,207 votes. Independent candidate Gregory Blythe, who dropped out of the race in December, finished with 28 votes.
District 11 includes parts of Bristol, Portsmouth and Tiverton. Pagliarini says he plans to run for re-election in November as an incumbent.
The General Assembly opened its 2016 session on Tuesday.
Pagliarini officially announced his win on the Matt Allen Show on WPRO Wednesday night. LISTEN BELOW:
