Rob Roy Rawlings served in the Rhode Island Senate representing Richmond prior to re-districting.[3] He then sought re-election as a state senator from District 25.[4][5]
Although Frank Heppner writes that Rawlings was affiliated with the Republican Party,[6] records maintained by Rhode Island's government indicate that he secured the Democratic Party nomination in 1958,[7] 1960,[8] 1962,[9] and 1964.[10] In 1966, Rawlings contested the 52nd district seat in the Rhode Island House of Representatives as a Democratic candidate,[11] then subsequently ran for state senate from district 25 in 1968,[12] 1970,[13] 1972,[14] 1974,[15] 1976,[16] and 1978.[17]
Personal life and businesses
Rawlings married Barbara T. Tefft and they had one son together.[3] Rawlings predeceased his wife, who died in 2004.[18] His son died in 2014.[19] The elder Rawlings operated Meadow Brook Golf Club and had been the president of an eponymous grain dealer Roy Rawling Inc.[3] His father Roy Willard Rawlings and sister Lucy Rawlings Tootell also served in state government.