2016 United States presidential election in Rhode Island



The 2016 United States presidential election in Rhode Island took place on November 8, 2016, as part of the 2016 United States presidential election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. Rhode Island voters chose four electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote.

Although a "safe blue state", Trump improved on Mitt Romney's performance four years prior; Romney had lost the state by 27 points, whereas Trump lost by less than 16 points. This makes it the smallest win by a Democrat since Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis in 1988. In 2012, Romney won only three towns in Rhode Island. Donald Trump won 14 towns and even narrowly flipped Kent County, making this the first time a Republican has won a county in the state since Ronald Reagan in 1984.

To date, this is the last time that the towns of Lincoln, Richmond, and West Warwick voted Republican.

Democratic primary
Four candidates appeared on the Democratic presidential primary ballot:
 * Bernie Sanders
 * Hillary Clinton
 * Rocky De La Fuente
 * Mark Stewart

Republican primary
Three candidates appeared on the Republican presidential primary ballot:
 * Ted Cruz
 * John Kasich
 * Donald Trump

Results by county
[[File:Rhode Island County Flips 2016.svg|thumb|230px|County Flips:

Democratic {{legend|#92c5de|Hold}}

Republican {{legend|#ca0120|Gain from Democratic}} ]]

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

 * Kent (largest city: Warwick)

Results by congressional district
Clinton won both congressional districts.

Analysis
Donald Trump flipped several municipalities that had not voted for a Republican presidential candidate since the 1980s including, Burrillville, Coventry, Exeter, Foster, Glocester, Hopkinton, Johnston, Lincoln, North Smithfield, Richmond, Smithfield, and West Warwick. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton was able to flip East Greenwich which voted for Mitt Romney in 2012.