R.I. Senate President Dominick Ruggerio dies at 76

Senate President Dominick Ruggerio, the “dean” of the chamber who married an uncanny listening ability with shrewd negotiation strategy, died early Monday morning from his third battle with cancer, according to a statement from his office. He was 76.

“It is with deepest sorrow that we announce the passing of Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio earlier this morning,” the statement said. “We are so grateful for the love and support of his friends and colleagues. Throughout his illness, Donny fought valiantly, just as he always had for his constituents and the residents of Rhode Island.”

Illness, including hospitalizations, forced Ruggerio to miss much of the 2024 and 2025 legislative sessions. But the North Providence Democrat’s 44-year political career left a deep and lasting imprint on the state.

A longtime administrator for the Laborers’ International Union of North America representing construction workers, Ruggerio was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1980. He served two terms before he successfully ran for the Senate, where he represented District 4, spanning northern Providence and North Providence, for the next four decades.

Ruggerio was tapped as majority whip in 2003. He ascended to Senate majority leader in 2010, and in 2017 was unanimously elected Senate president after President Teresa Paiva Weed suddenly resigned.

The North Providence Democrat was hospitalized at Our Lady of Fatima Hospital last week for a bad reaction to his treatment – returning less than five weeks after he was released from the same hospital and rehabilitation center for pneumonia.

‘End of an era’

House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi referred to Ruggerio’s death as the “end of an era.”

“I had enormous respect and admiration for his dedication and leadership,” Shekarchi, a Warwick Democrat, said in a statement Monday. “Even through his illness, we communicated on nearly a daily basis about the important issues facing our state. Donny devoted his life to the people of Rhode Island, which will always be his legacy.“

Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz, a North Smithfield Republican, described their working relationship as “based on mutual respect.”

“I appreciate that President Ruggerio’s door was open to me and found him to honor his promises,” de la Cruz said in a statement Monday. “His leadership changed the landscape of our state and we mourn his loss.”

A lifelong North Providence resident, Ruggerio graduated from LaSalle Academy in 1966. He attended Bryant College, but earned a bachelor’s degree in 1974 from Providence College.

He served on the board of the Wanskuck Library and as a member of the Sons of Italy, Loggia Vittoria, and the DaVinci Center Development Committee.

Ruggerio was the father of two children, Charles and Amanda, with his ex-wife, Cynthia, and a grandfather to Ava, Mia, Natalie and Jameson. He is also survived by his sister, Lisa Aceto.

Nancy Lavin is senior reporter covering state politics, energy and environmental issues for the Rhode Island Current. RI Current is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.

– With Beacon Media reports