The 12 candidates, in alphabetical order, are: Jeanine Calkin, Nick Delmenico, Doris De Los Santos, Bill Deware, Susan Donovan, David Norton, Marcia Ranglin-Vassell, Jim Seveney, Jennifer Siciliano, Lisa Scorpio, Teresa Tanzi and Moira Walsh.

Tanzi was the only incumbent on the list.

The news release contained narratives for 8 most recently-endorsed candidates:

1) We are thrilled to endorse Marcia Ranglin-Vassell of District 5 in her challenge against the House Majority Leader, John DeSimone. A special education teacher in Providence, Marcia is hoping to challenge established politicians that continue to put their own needs ahead of the people. Marcia has deep roots in the community, and she has also received a Woman of Achievement award from the YWCA for her work on education. DeSimone is an extremely conservative politician who has fought against core Democratic values, even once voting to ban Providence from raising the minimum wage.

2) We are delighted to endorse Lisa Scorpio from District 13, who is taking on John Carnavale. Lisa is both a community leader and true progressive. Her rival John Carnavale, who has been under police investigation before, finds himself in a similar situation after being probed by the reporters at Channel 12 News. Due to the ongoing investigation, it is unclear whether or not Mr. Carnavale’s name will appear on the ballot. Lisa is highly engaged within her community and lives within the heart of her district on Sterling Ave.

3) Our endorsement of Nick Delmenico against Pat Serpa should come as no surprise, due to Serpa’s endorsement from the NRA and record of championing the machine’s anti-middle-class agenda. Nick cites the dismal record of the Rhode Island political establishment and the need for change as his primary reasons for entering the race.

4) We would like to endorse the incumbent from District 34, Teresa Tanzi. Teresa has been one of the strongest advocates for gun control, reproductive rights, and economic justice in the General Assembly. She has held her position since 2010.

5) We are excited to endorse Doris De Los Santos in Senate District 7. She faces the NRA-endorsed Frank Ciccone, a very conservative Democrat. In 2012 Govenor Chaffee appointed Doris as the director of the Office of Municipal and External Affairs. Her opponent, Frank Ciccone, has been involved in several scandals, including threatening a police officer who had pulled over conservative Senate Majority Leader Dominic Ruggerio for drunk driving.

6) We are pleased to endorse Jim Seveney, of Senate District 11. A long-time Portsmouth resident, Jim only lost by a small margin in the last election cycle. He is currently the leader of the Democrats on the Portsmouth Town Council. He will be challenging John Pagliarini, who just last month led the fight to stop an increase in the minimum wage.

7) We are thrilled to endorse Susan Donovan, of District 69. A long-time community activist in Bristol, Susan is running to restore honor and integrity to the District 69 seat, which was recently vacated by scandal-tarred conservative Ray Gallison, after an FBI investigation. Susan is running such a strong campaign she scared the machine out of putting up a candidate in the race.

8) We would also like to endorse Moira Walsh in District 3. A waitress, community activist, and single mother, Moira will bring her perspective to a statehouse that has devastated low-income communities. Moira, who remembers having to choose between heat and electricity, will be a fierce advocate for the people of Smith Hill, who have so long been ignored by the politicians at the other end of Smith Hill.

In addition to these eight, we have already endorsed Jeanine Calkin, Jennifer Siciliano, Bill Deware, and David Norton. We will be continuing to announce more endorsements throughout the campaign cycle.

A planned fund raising event for Bill Deware at the Knights of Columbus hall in North Providence was cancelled this week when the Knights of Columbus was informed that Deware, a candidate for State Rep House District 54, is pro-choice. It is not known who informed the Knights of Columbus of Deware’s pro-choice status. Deware says, “I am indeed pro-choice. I am an ardent supporter of a woman’s right to control her own body. I would argue any human being in any situation has a fundamental right to control their own body.”

Deware is a Progressive Democrat. “I got involved with the Bernie Sanders campaign regionally and it showed me I could be more active politically. Locally I was brought to action by the cuts to Medicaid (which impact me and my family directly due to my daughter having multiple handicaps) and the need for tax and ethics reform in RI. I feel people need to get involved in the political process and help restore faith in government. Then we can start to make government work for us again. What we have right now, is not working for us here in RI. We want and deserve better.”

As for his fundraiser being cancelled because of his pro-choice stance, Deware says that “There are many issues that unite us and I would like to focus on those issues rather than divisive ones. For instance; the Catholic Church believes in social justice, racial justice & economic justice, as do I. Jesus healed the sick, helped the poor and didn’t judge. These are areas I would like to focus on in my career and in my life.”

A new location, Lancellotta’s Banquet Restaurant in North Providence, has already been booked for the fundraiser and will take place on the same night, June 30th, as the original event.

Knights of Columbus did not respond to a request for comment.

Sam Bell, state coordinator of the Rhode Island Progressive Democrats of America (RIPDA),  filed an ethics complaint against Representative William O’Brien (District 54) last week. Bell alleges that when O’Brien ran for office in 2009 and 2011, he failed to file his first two required financial disclosure statements. Candidates are required to file financial disclosure statement for the preceding year.

A conservative Democrat from North Providence, Bill O’Brien was found to have plagiarized large portions of his website.  Currently, O’Brien is facing a primary challenge from Democrat Bill Deware, a progressive and labor activist.

“Financial disclosure forms are vitally important,” said Bell in a statement, “Without them, we have no idea where politicians receive their income.  Given that the [Raymond] Gallison scandal seems to be related to lawmakers’ income, tracking where politicians make their money is especially important.”

Bill Deware has announced his candidacy for state representative today for House District 54 – North Providence. He will be challenging incumbent William O’Brien in the Democratic Primary. O’Brien won his seat in 2012 in a three-way race with just over 40 percent of the vote. He ran unopposed in 2014. Deware has issued the following press release:

“I have raised my family right here in North Providence, and there’s nowhere else I’d rather live,” said Deware, who works as a radiographer at Rhode Island Hospital and leads the Rhode Island Society of Radiologic Technologists. “I’m running for State Representative because our district needs someone to stand up for our community.  I decided that it was time someone was willing to stand up for us.  It was time someone ran to help the people of this neighborhood rather than himself.  I promise I’ll be an independent voice that fights for what the community needs–not for the people who have been running our state into the ground.”

Deware listed his representative’s unresponsiveness as central in his decision to run. “When my daughter, Adrianna, was born, the doctors told my wife and me that she had Down Syndrome as well as multiple physical disabilities.  Later we learned she also was autistic.  I love my daughter, and I wouldn’t trade her for anything in the world.  However, I quickly realized that her life would be very different, and I would have to fight for her every step along the way.  Like most parents in our situation we quickly became experts on the programs that were necessary for my daughter and became much more involved in the community.  When I heard that cuts were coming down on those programs and on my daughter, I did what I had always been told to do, I called my representative looking for help.  At first his state email didn’t work, then no one would pick up the phone.  Next I did finally get a response but it was just a text giving me another email address to send my “complaint” to.  I sent an email pleading for help.  I’m still waiting for a response.  I reached out for an ally, someone to help protect my daughter, instead I found someone who couldn’t be bothered to return my phone calls. ”

This experience, Deware says was just the final straw. “This isn’t acceptable. This isn’t okay.  It horrifies me that we apparently have money in the budget to give the rich another round of tax cuts but people like my daughter are “too expensive”. My mother’s pension is okay to slash, but God forbid if we question a handout for a corporation.  Our schools are crumbling, our taxes are going up, and our jobs are disappearing.  We have to do something!”

Deware feels his current representative is just a part of the problem.  “My representative seems to care more about those at the state house than those in our neighborhood.  It shouldn’t be this hard to just get a response.  I decided that it was time someone was willing to stand up for us.  It was time someone ran to help the people of this neighborhood, rather than himself.”

Deware’s announcement was widely welcomed across the neighborhood.  Lenny Cioe, who has lived in the area for many years, said, “I’ve known Bill for a long time and he has always been a straight guy. When he sees something wrong he just goes out there and fixes it. I have no doubt he is going to do great things for the district.”

Danielle Delaney, longtime community member, is also excited.  “We need change,” she said. “I don’t feel like the guys at the statehouse are fighting for us.  Bill is honest.  If he says he’ll do something, he’ll do it.”

Deware lives off of Hatherly St in North Providence with his wife, Tiffany, and three children.  He graduated from URI, works as an X-Ray tech at Rhode Island Hospital, is head of the local non profit Rhode Island Society of Radiologic Technologists, and is a former Vice President of UNAP Local 5098.