Don Carcieri was elected governor in 2002, defeating three-time Democratic gubernatorial candidate Myrth York with 55 percent.

Carcieri defeated Jim Bennett, former chairman of the state's Convention Center Authority, in the 2002 GOP gubernatorial primary with 67 percent of the vote.

He won re-election to a second term as governor in 2006, but by a slimmer margin than expected over Democratic Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty.

(Last updated by Eric Tucker on April 20, 2009.)

Jack Reed was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996, defeating Republican Nancy Mayer with 63 percent of the vote for the seat being vacated by Sen. Claiborne Pell.

Reed was re-elected in 2002 with 78 percent of the vote, defeating Robert Tingle. He beat Tingle again in 2008 with 73 percent of the vote.

He was elected to the Rhode Island Senate in 1984 and was re-elected to three more terms.

He was elected to the U.S. House in 1990, defeating Republican Gertrude Coxe with 59 percent of the vote. He was re-elected in 1992 with 75 percent of the vote, defeating Republican James Bell. He defeated Republican A. John Elliot in 1994 with 68 percent of the vote.

(Last updated by Andrew Miga on March 20, 2009.)

Sheldon Whitehouse was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006 when he defeated Republican incumbent Lincoln Chafee with 54 percent of the vote.

Whitehouse was elected state attorney general in 1998.

He failed to win the support of Democrats for a 2002 run for governor.

(Last updated by Andrew Miga on March 20, 2009.)