de la Cruz suspends campaign, backs Fung for Congress
Cranston Herald, Tuesday, April 19, 2022 - Nearly almost a month after announcing she was a candidate for the 2nd Congressional District seat being vacated by Jim Langevin, state Sen. Jessica de la Cruz suspended her campaign.
“While I was encouraged by the strong grassroots support my campaign received, right now, the best place for me to fight for Rhode Islanders is in the State Senate,” said de la Cruz. “I am so proud that 96% of my donations were from right here in Rhode Island, which shows how much people responded to our message. However, there were an equal number of people who asked me to stay in the State Senate and continue supporting important causes like suspending the gas tax, parental rights in education, and our constitutional freedoms.”
With de la Cruz out, Cranston Mayor Allan Fung, and former state Rep. Bob Lancia are vying for the Republican nomination.
Last Thursday de la Cruz endorsed Fung in the race.
“I believe that Mayor Fung now represents the best chance for Rhode Island to send a Republican to Congress. He has my full endorsement,” said de la Cruz.
Last Friday also marked the deadline for the Federal Election Commission first quarter campaign finance reports.
Fung during the first quarter raised $551,954.14, while Lancia who ran unsuccessfully in 2020 raised $11,000 for the quarter and has $141,947 on hand.
Leading all CD2 candidates in fundraising thus far is General Treasurer Seth Magaziner who raised $1,422,004.99
Democrat Sarah Morgenthau raised $524,159.98, in the first quarter while former Lanegvin staffer Joy Fox raised $176,354.17.
Former state Rep. David Segal who announced last week he would officially be throwing his hat in the ring as a Democrat raised $276,669.38.
Rounding out the Democrats who were required to fill out campaign finance reports were former state Rep. Ed Pacheco who dropped out of the race and Omar Bah. Pacheco raised $64,205, while Bah raised $9,624.06.
Pacheco was rumored to run against Warwick Mayor Frank Picozzi but a spokesperson said he wouldn’t be.
Michael Neary, who is currently living in Ohio tweeted over the weekend that his campaign has raised $575, and he has donated $3,000 to $4,000 of his own money, meaning he wasn’t required to file a report with the FEC.
In a statement April 14 Neary said “I am announcing today that I will remain a candidate in the race for the Democratic nomination in Rhode Island’s Second Congressional District, all the way to the September primary.”
“I am currently seeking medical and mental health treatment and have been referred to a Neurologist for a possible non-Epileptic seizure-related condition,” said Neary. “This is also the first time I have ever been arrested in my entire life, so I am also focused on addressing the Misdemeanor charges here in Ohio. Steps have been taken to retain legal counsel as those matters continue to be handled in our criminal justice system.”