Bernie Sanders-endorsed challenger defeats Providence mayor in a Democratic primary

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley lost his Democratic primary Tuesday night, NBC News projects, with Rhode Island state Rep. David Morales, a Bernie Sanders-endorsed democratic socialist, prevailing.

Morales tapped into the progressive energy that has fueled a slew of challenges to incumbents this election cycle up and down the ballot. His platform included proposals to cap rent hikes, expand affordable housing and increase taxes on polluters and corporate landlords.

Morales cast Smiley as not being up to the task of meeting present-day challenges, asking voters the time-honored campaign question of whether they believe they are better off now than they were when Smiley took office.

“I’m running for mayor because I believe government can do so much more to make our lives easier,” Morales said during last month’s mayoral debate organized by NBC affiliate WJAR. “We’re building a movement to have a Providence for all.”

Morales had support from endorsers including Sanders and former Mayor Jorge Elorza. Smiley had worked in Elorza’s administration.

Smiley was seeking a second term after he won the mayoralty in 2022. He pointed to the expansion of a universal pre-K program and other city successes, as well as his record of standing up to President Donald Trump on issues like immigration.

Smiley also panned Morales for being “part of a national movement” and “not interested in actually solving problems for Providence residents,” and he criticized Morales’ past support for reallocating police funding to try to frame him as soft on crime.

Morales has pushed back at that framing, accusing Smiley of “clinging on to quotes and tweets from over five years ago” and adding that “as our next mayor, I will not defund the police, a position that I have been very consistent on.”

The result is the latest in a string of victories at the local, state and federal levels by progressives aligned with the democratic socialist movement, including in places such as New York City, Washington, D.C., Colorado, Michigan and Florida.