Shekarchi wins the speakership; some progressives abstain from leadership votes Published Wed Jan 06 2021 03:47:27 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) by Ian Donnis
Joe Shekarchi (D-Warwick), a longtime participant in Rhode Island politics, captured what is often called the most powerful political post in the state, easily ascending Tuesday as House speaker during an unusual legislative opening session that pointed to ongoing clashes between progressives and establishment Democrats.
With the House of Representatives meeting at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium due to the pandemic, Shekarchi won the support of 59 Democrats, while nine Republicans backed the House Minority Leader Blake Filippi, and four progressive Democrats abstained.
A month-by-month look at COVID-19 in Rhode Island
With two weeks still to go, December is already one of the worst months of the pandemic
By Dan McGowan Globe Staff,Updated December 18, 2020, 8:21 a.m.
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A health care worker carries a COVID-19 specimen from a motorist at a drive-thru testing site outside McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, R.I, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020. The testing site was set up outside the minor league baseball stadium as a partnership with the state and ACCU Reference Medical Lab to help with demand for more testing amidst a surge in coronavirus cases.David Goldman/Associated Press