For years, Nicole Jellinek watched as her husband, Jason Knight, served as representative for District 67-Barrington and Warren. Now Jellinek will get her chance to fill that role. 

On Tuesday night, Nov. 3, Jellinek earned more than 60 percent of the votes in the race for the District 67 seat in the Rhode Island House of Representatives. Her opponent, longtime Warren Town Council member Joseph DePasquale finished with 38.82 percent.

Jellinek will fill the vacancy left by Knight, who served the district since 2016 and made an unsuccessful run for Rhode Island Attorney General this fall. 

Jellinek and Knight are both Democrats, but they enjoy plenty of differences, she said.

“He and I are different kinds of people, and I’m going to be a different kind of politician,” Jellinek said. 

She said one of her husband’s strength was in the law — he is an attorney by trade. 

“I have a much stronger understanding of the healthcare system… how it works on the ground,” Jellinek said. 

Jellinek believes that healthcare was a key determining factor in her campaign. 

“People are struggling with healthcare access,” she said, adding that many of the people she spoke with during her campaign referenced healthcare issues. “That resonated with voters.”

Jellinek said she and her support team visited the majority of residents who live in District 67. 

“I’ve learned a ton in this campaign,” Jellinek said. 

When asked what issues she was most excited to start working on, Jellinek said: “All of it. I feel like a kid in a candy store.”

Jellinek said she spent a lot of her campaign discussing healthcare, the climate and environment, and energy costs facing local residents. She listed some of the House committees she is hoping to serve on: Health and Human Services, Environment, and Oversight.

Congratulations

On Election Night, Jellinek spent time at restaurants in Barrington and Warren. She joined with Barrington Democrats at Bluewater Bar and Grille, and with Bristol and Warren Democrats at Porta Via on Main Street in Warren. People from all across the East Bay congratulated her on the victory. Jellinek said DePasquale called her late Tuesday night to congratulate her as well. 

“I thanked him for his service,” she said. “I have great respect for what he’s done for Warren.”

Jellinek said her husband also shared some heartfelt words following her win.

“He said ‘I’m so proud of you.’ It was very genuine. He’s been such an incredible supporter,” Jellinek said.