EAST PROVIDENCE — Gabriel Amo, the former member of the Obama and Biden Administrations and first-time candidate, emerged from the crowded Democratic field while another novice in electoral politics, Gerry Leonard, beat one Republican opponent in the race to succeed David Cicilline as Rhode Island's District 1 representative in the United States Congress.

Amo rather handily earned the chance to replace fellow Dem Cicilline, who retired from the House in June to take over as director of the non-profit Rhode Island Foundation, at the Tuesday, Sept. 5, Special Primary Election.

Amo bettered 11 others and held a comfortable, just over a seven-point edge over his closest competitor, Aaron Regunberb (32%-25%) with nearly all of the 20 municipalities that make up Congressional District 1 reporting 100 percent of their votes. State

Representative Sandra Cano was a distant third (14%) while Lieutenant Governor and early race favorite Sabina Matos even farther back in fourth place (8%).

Matos' campaign was marred by a falsified signature scandal, which included forgeries of all five East Providence City Councilors as well as a member of the EP School Committee.

East Providence's Primary Election numbers followed their district-wide counterparts almost exactly. Amo won the city with 1,261 of East Providence's 3,110 total of Democratic votes or 34.9%. Regunberg was next with 901 (24.9%) followed by Cano in third with 417 (11.5%) and Matos fourth 368 (10.2%).

Leonard's path to his party's nomination was much less congested. He needed to beat just one opponent, and he did so rather handily. The Jamestown resident and retired US Marine Corps colonel defeated Terri Flynn 75%-25% for the GOP nod.

Like Amo, Leonard won the East Providence GOP vote decisively and on par with the rest of the state at 78.7% to 21.3% for Flynn. Only 343 city residents cast a ballot in the Republican primary (Leonard 270, Flynn 73).

Amo and Leonard will now run the General Election race culminating on election day, Tuesday, Nov. 7.