Deborah L. "Deb" Ruggiero (born April 2, 1958) is an American radio personality and politician from
Jamestown, Rhode Island. A
Democrat, she served in the
Rhode Island House of Representatives
The Rhode Island House of Representatives is the lower house of the Rhode Island General Assembly, the state legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Rhode Island, the upper house being the Rhode Island Senate. It is ...
, representing the 74th district, which contains all of Jamestown and part of
Middletown. Ruggiero was first elected in November 2008 and took office on January 6, 2009.
Early life and education
Born in
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Rhode Island, most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The county seat of Providence County, Rhode Island, Providence County, it is o ...
, Ruggiero went to high school in
Lincoln, Rhode Island before attending
Boston College
Boston College (BC) is a private university, private Catholic Jesuits, Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1863 by the Society of Jesus, a Catholic Religious order (Catholic), religious order, t ...
, graduating ''magna cum laude'' with a double major in English and communications.
Career
In 2008, Ruggiero challenged 28-year incumbent Bruce J. Long for the 74th district seat. Long, a Republican, was the longest-serving member of the House of Representatives and was seeking his fifteenth term. In the election held on November 4, 2008, Ruggiero defeated Long by 54% to 46%, carrying each of the district's six precincts. She was re-elected in 2010, winning 53% in a three-way race. Her Republican and Independent opponents took 31% and 16% of the vote respectively.
She has spent her career in the media, working first for CBS radio in Boston, then for FOX TV and
WPRI-TV
WPRI-TV (channel 12) is a television station in Providence, Rhode Island, United States, affiliated with CBS and MyNetworkTV. It is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which provides certain services to dual Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox/The CW, CW a ...
for eight years. Since 2000, she has served as director of community and business development at Citadel Radio, the owners of
WPRO and
WPRO-FM
WPRO-FM (92.3 MHz "92 PRO-FM") is a commercial contemporary hit radio American radio station in Providence, Rhode Island, United States, owned by Cumulus Media.
The station's studios and offices are located in the Brine Broadcasting Center ...
. Since 1992, she has also taught a class in broadcast advertising at
Providence College
Providence College is a Private university, private Roman Catholic university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1917 by the Dominican Order and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, it offers 47 undergraduate Academic ...
.
A supporter of the
Hillary Clinton 2008 presidential campaign, Ruggiero attended the
2008 Democratic National Convention
The 2008 Democratic National Convention was a quadrennial United States presidential nominating convention, presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party where it adopted its national platform an ...
in
Denver
Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...
as an alternate elector.
In April 2022, Ruggiero declared her candidacy for
lieutenant governor of Rhode Island
The current lieutenant governor of Rhode Island is Sabina Matos, who was sworn in on April 14, 2021, after Daniel McKee succeeded to the office of governor. The first lieutenant governor was George Brown.
In Rhode Island, the lieutenant gov ...
.
Personal life
Ruggiero is a lesbian; her partner of over 22 years, Joyce Ioanes, died of cancer in 2007.
References
External links
Campaign websiteLegislative homepage
1958 births
21st-century American women politicians
21st-century American LGBTQ people
American people of Italian descent
Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences alumni
American lesbian politicians
LGBTQ state legislators in Rhode Island
Living people
Democratic Party members of the Rhode Island House of Representatives
People from Newport County, Rhode Island
Women state legislators in Rhode Island
21st-century members of the Rhode Island General Assembly
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