Democratic U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner has won a third term representing Rhode Island's 2nd Congressional District, defeating Republican challenger Vic Mellor in Tuesday's election. The race did not draw attention from the national GOP. Mellor, a political newcomer, had his campaign spend nearly $4 million in an effort to unseat the incumbent.
How the Numbers Broke Down
According to Rhode Island Current, Magaziner captured 61.3% of the vote to Mellor's 38.5%. Earlier in the night, with 72% of precincts reporting, The Providence Journal had Magaziner's unofficial lead at 59.7% to Mellor's 40%, a snapshot taken before all the votes were in. The Associated Press called the race at 8:36 p.m., when just 42% of the vote had been counted, the same Rhode Island Current report noted.
The win extends Magaziner's hold on the seat, which he first captured in 2022 by defeating Republican Allan Fung, according to the station's report from WPRI. His winning margin also grew compared to his last reelection bid: he took 58.2% of the vote in his 2024 contest, per the same outlet's figures, versus the 61.3% he's now reported to have earned.
A Rival Who Bet Big on Himself
Mellor's campaign stood out for its spending. WPRI reported that as of October 14, his campaign had spent nearly $4 million on his run for Congress. Despite that spending, the unofficial and reported tallies both show him trailing Magaziner by double digits.
Magaziner's next two-year term is set to begin in January 2027, Rhode Island Current reported. Newsday carried an Associated Press race-call headline, while local outlets continued updating their vote counts into the evening as more precincts reported.
