Baldelli-Hunt Topples Fontaine for Mayor's Seat

With all precincts reporting, Rep. Lisa Baldelli Hunt has bested incumbent Mayor Leo Fontaine 4294 to Fontaine's 2056, according to unofficial numbers.

The City Council winners are, in order of largest number of votes: Bob Moreau, Al Brien, Chris Beauchamp, Garrett Mancieri, Roger Jalette, Melissa Murray and Dan Gendron.

As numbers were reported at Fontaine's headquarters at River Falls Restaurant, murmurs of conversation about the results were subdued, with the music in the room quickly dominating what had been an excited chatter. 

At Stadium Theater, Baldelli-Hunt's supporters crowded the much larger venue, with the numbers projected across the movie theater-screen on the stage as city and state officials crowded around to congratulate her. Among the visitors were House Speaker Gordon Fox and Providence Mayor Angel Taveras. 

"I had a great team. I had wonderful volunteers," Baldelli-Hunt said when asked about the elements of her victory. "We had great organization and we were very focused on running a positive campaign."

"I did call over to my opponent Representative Baldelli-Hunt and soon to be Mayor Baldelli-Hunt, or Mayor-Elect Baldelli-Hunt, and congratulated her on her victory," Fontaine told his supporters. "Certainly, it's time for this community to pull together. Let's face it, we've got a lot of work to do to try to rebound from what this state has done to this city and what they've done to so many other communities around this state," Fontaine said. 

"I certainly wish her and all the council members the best, because that's what we need for this community, is for people to pull together and support our elected officials," Fontaine said.