Enrique Sanchez (politician)

Enrique G. Sanchez (born July 10, 1996) is an American politician representing the 9th district in the Rhode Island House of Representatives.[1] A member of the Democratic Party, he was first elected in November 2022.[1] Sanchez serves on the House Corporations Committee and the House Special Legislation Committee.

Sanchez graduated from Rhode Island College in 2019 with a degree in public relations.[1] His grandfather, Enrique Sánchez Mora, immigrated from Mexico to the United States and settled in Providence, Rhode Island.[2]

Sanchez's brother, Miguel Sanchez, represents Ward 6 (the Manton and Mount Pleasant neighborhoods) on the Providence City Council. The brothers' districts are located near each other but do not overlap.

Electoral history

2022

In the Democratic primary, Sanchez challenged endorsed incumbent Anastasia P. Williams, who had held the seat since 1992, prevailing by 14.4 percentage points. Sanchez, endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America, successfully defeated Williams from the left.[3] He was unopposed in the general election.

2022 Rhode Island House of Representatives District 9 – Democratic primary[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Enrique George Sanchez 802 53.6
Democratic Anastasia P. Williams 587 39.2
Democratic Lonnie L. Mangum 108 7.2
2022 Rhode Island House of Representatives District 9 – General election[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Enrique George Sanchez 1836 96.8 +23.8
Write-in 60 3.2 +2.3

2024

Williams, who changed the spelling of her first name to Anastacia,[6] returned in an attempt to unseat Sanchez in 2024. A third candidate, Santos Javier, who had previously unsuccesfully run twice for the Ward 15 seat on the Providence City Council (which includes District 9's Olneyville and Silver Lake neighborhoods), also ran. In a campaign rife with allegations of impropriety, primarily against Javier,[7] Sanchez successfully defended his seat in the Democratic primary. His predecessor finished a distant third. Sanchez will be unopposed in the November general election.

2024 Rhode Island House of Representatives District 9 – Democratic primary[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Enrique G. Sanchez 606 53.8 +0.2%
Democratic Santos Javier 295 26.2 New
Democratic Anastacia P. Williams 225 20.0 −19.2%

References

  1. ^ a b c "State of Rhode Island General Assembly". www.rilegislature.gov. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
  2. ^ Noor Farzan, Antonia (September 16, 2022). "Providence's Sanchez brothers credit Mexican American roots in their big wins for the left". The Providence Journal. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  3. ^ https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/05/11/metro/ri-house-race-buzzes-with-controversies-involving-elon-musk-dj-rukiz/
  4. ^ https://www.ri.gov/election/results/2022/statewide_primary/races/90.html
  5. ^ https://www.ri.gov/election/results/2022/general_election/races/54.html
  6. ^ https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/08/15/metro/longtime-ri-state-representative-anastacia-williams/
  7. ^ https://rhodeislandcurrent.com/2024/08/20/so-many-accusations-in-providence-house-democratic-primary-contest-so-little-time-to-investigate/
  8. ^ https://www.ri.gov/election/results/2024/statewide_primary/races/98.html