Amo wins reelection to US House

Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo handily defeated two opponents in Tuesday’s election to win a second full term representing Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District, a race widely considered to have a solidly blue outcome.

He captured 66.5% of the vote while Republican Kellie Keenan received only 29.3%. Independent Pedro DeSouza garnered only 4.1%.

Polls closed at 8 p.m. The Associated Press called the 1st Congressional District race at 8:32 p.m.with 39% of votes counted.

Amo, 38, Rhode Island’s first Black member of Congress, entered the final weeks of the race with a big financial advantage over his two opponents. The congressman reported nearly $2 million in cash on hand as of Oct. 14, according to Federal Election Commission filings. 

First-time candidate Keenan, 33, a Providence small business owner and health care operations consultant made her first run for office, reported $1,832 on hand at the end of September.  

DeSouza works in a data career, according to his campaign website. DeSouza’s campaign account had $112 in it as of Oct. 14.

While Republicans control both the House and Senate by a slim margin, Democrats need only pick up a net four seats in each chamber to take over Congress. All 435 House seats are up for election while a third of the Senate seats are.

Amo was first elected in a 2023 special election, beating out a horde of Democratic opponents in an unusually crowded primary. He won his first full term in the 2024 General Election. Amo worked as a special assistant to the president and deputy director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs during the Biden administration.