Gina Raimondo (Rhode Island & New 1993) Elected as Governor of Rhode Island

Rhodes Scholar Gina Raimondo was elected to be Governor of Rhode Island in the 2014 U.S. mid-term elections. She will be the first female governor in the state's history.

Ms Raimondo, the Democratic nominee, is a businesswoman who has been the state's general treasurer since 2010. She defeated Allen Fung, the Republican candidate, who is the mayor of Cranston, the state's third-largest city. Ms Raimondo gained 40 per cent of the vote, while Mr Fung won 37 per cent of the vote. Moderate party candidate Bob Healey won 22 per cent of the vote. 

To the crowd that gathered to celebrate her victory, Raimondo said: “I commit to you, the people of Rhode Island, to rebuild this economy, to rebuild the state, and to get Rhode Island back to work and in good middle class jobs.”