Rep. Dennis Canario, who has held the District 71 (Portsmouth, Tiverton and Little Compton) House seat since first being elected in 2012, has announced that he will not seek reelection.

The Portsmouth resident and retired police officer in that town cited personal reasons and “the current state of our local politics.”

Without offering specifics, he wrote, “I fear that we have become far too politically divided to effect the true and just change that all of Rhode Island deserves in their daily lives.”

For the time being, that leaves Michelle McGaw of Portsmouth as the lone Democratic candidate for the seat.

Mr. Canario ran unopposed in the 2018 general elections.

His announcement that he won't run in 2020 states:

“Serving the residents of District 71 has been one of the greatest experiences in my life. After I retired from my law enforcement career, running for elected office was another way I could continue to help my community after my retirement. I have met some extraordinary people over the eight years I have served in the House of Representatives and together we have accomplished great change for the people of this state.
We have taken away guns from people who do not deserve to have them and we have protected the vulnerable and those with developmental disabilities. We have eliminated the regressive car tax and we have protected our cherished and valuable natural resources. Rhode Island will be a better place in the future due to the hard work and determination we have accomplished together.

As much as I love serving the residents of District 71, and it truly pains me to say this, I will not be seeking reelection to the House of Representatives due to personal reasons. With that being said, I also must speak my mind on the current state of our local politics.

When I first became involved with public service, I marveled at the diversity of ideas that were consistently put forth through the legislative process. I have watched people come together over a common issue when I thought there was no way in Hell that these individuals would ever be able to find the common ground that links us and every Rhode Islander together. Yet, today, I fear that we have become far too politically divided to effect the true and just change that all of Rhode Island deserves in their daily lives.

There are far too many people who would rather resort to name-calling and purity tests rather than effectively representing our state’s diverse population and their needs. Often, these are people of privilege who although have altruistic motives, are blinded by their own well-standing in life to truly realize the pain and suffering that so many in our state suffer on a daily basis.

I can only hope that the numerous and prevalent divisions that divide us are conquered through open minds, collaboration and teamwork. I wish everyone in District 71 and the rest of the state the best, and I will continue to be involved in the betterment of our community, but sadly, I can no longer do the job that I have loved, cherished, and have been honored to hold over the past eight years.

God bless, and as always, if you need help, call me and together we can make Rhode Island the best place to live in the entire world.”

Please support your local news coverage

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the local economy - and many of the advertisers who support our work - to a near standstill. During this unprecedented challenge, we continue to make our coronavirus coverage free to everyone at eastbayri.com - we believe it is our mission is to deliver vital information to our communities. If you believe local news is essential, especially during this crisis, please consider a tax-deductible donation. 

Donate Here

Thank you for your support!

Matt Hayes, Sakonnet Times Publisher