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Race at a glance
Five candidates are running for Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. The field includes two Democrats, two Republicans and one independent candidate.
Democratic incumbent Seth Magaziner is seeking the same seat as Democratic candidate Spencer E Dickinson, Republican candidates Victor G. Mellor and Stephen T Skoly, and independent candidate Armando Luciano Anzoli.
A contested race simply means that more than one candidate is seeking the office. It does not mean that the election result or the rules governing the race are under dispute. In RI-2, voters have candidates carrying three different political affiliations, and more than one candidate is listed under each major-party label.
The five candidates
Armando Luciano Anzoli, independent: Anzoli is the only independent candidate in the five-person field. His candidacy gives voters an option outside the Democratic and Republican labels represented by the other four candidates. He is competing for the same District 2 seat in the Nov. 3 general election.
Spencer E Dickinson, Democrat: Dickinson is one of two Democratic candidates in the race. He shares a party label with Magaziner, the incumbent, while competing for the same congressional office. Dickinson is part of the five-candidate field voters will consider in the 2026 general election.
Seth Magaziner, Democrat: Magaziner is the incumbent, meaning he currently holds the District 2 seat. He is one of two Democratic candidates listed in the race and the only incumbent in the field. He faces four other candidates in the Nov. 3 general election.
Victor G. Mellor, Republican: Mellor is one of two Republican candidates seeking the District 2 seat. He shares a party label with Skoly and is running against the incumbent and three other candidates. His candidacy is part of the broader five-person contest for the congressional office.
Stephen T Skoly, Republican: Skoly is the other Republican candidate in the race. Like Mellor, he is seeking the seat held by Magaziner while competing in a field that also includes another Republican, two Democrats and an independent. The office will be decided in the general election.
What is being decided
The election will determine who represents Rhode Island’s 2nd District in the U.S. House. All five candidates are seeking that one seat, so their party or independent labels do not represent separate offices or separate general elections.
The makeup of the field is a central feature of the contest. Magaziner enters as the officeholder, while Dickinson, Anzoli, Mellor and Skoly are challengers. The candidate list also includes two people identified as Democrats and two identified as Republicans, rather than one candidate under each of those labels.
Party labels identify how candidates are listed politically, but they do not explain the candidates’ positions on individual issues. Voters can look to campaign statements, candidate events and other public appearances as the election approaches to compare their priorities for the district and Congress.
Election timeline and next steps
The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. The main process questions between now and Election Day include how the candidate field develops, what policy differences the candidates present and how voters can participate.
Candidate forums and public statements can help define the choices in the race. Election notices can also give voters practical information about registration, voting methods and polling arrangements as Nov. 3 approaches. The central decision remains straightforward: District 2 voters will choose among the candidates seeking one U.S. House seat.
