{{short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Deb Ruggiero |state_house = Rhode Island |district = 74th |term_start = January 6, 2009 |term_end = January 3, 2023 |predecessor = Bruce Long |successor = Alex Finkelman |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|4|2}} |birth_place = Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Democratic |partner = Joyce Ioanes (deceased 2007) |education = Boston College (BA) |website = {{URL|debruggiero.com|Campaign website}} }} '''Deborah L.''' "'''Deb'''" '''Ruggiero''' (born April 2, 1958) is an American radio personality and politician from Jamestown, Rhode Island. A Democrat, she served in the Rhode Island House of Representatives, representing the 74th district, which contains all of Jamestown and part of Middletown. Ruggiero was first elected in November 2008 and took office on January 6, 2009.
== Early life and education == Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Ruggiero went to high school in Lincoln, Rhode Island before attending Boston College, graduating ''magna cum laude'' with a double major in English and communications.
== Career == In 2008, Ruggiero challenged 28-year incumbent Bruce J. Long for the 74th district seat. Long, a Republican, was the longest-serving member of the House of Representatives and was seeking his fifteenth term. In the election held on November 4, 2008, Ruggiero defeated Long by 54% to 46%, carrying each of the district's six precincts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ri.gov/election/results/2008/general_election/races/790.html# |title=Rhode Island Board of Elections: Representative in General Assembly District 74, 2008 general election |access-date=2008-12-27}}</ref> She was re-elected in 2010, winning 53% in a three-way race. Her Republican and Independent opponents took 31% and 16% of the vote respectively.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ri.gov/election/results/2010/general_election/races/219.html| title=Rhode Island Board of Elections: Representative in General Assembly District 74, 2010 general election |access-date=2010-12-12}}</ref>
She has spent her career in the media, working first for CBS radio in Boston, then for FOX TV and WPRI-TV for eight years. Since 2000, she has served as director of community and business development at Citadel Radio, the owners of WPRO and WPRO-FM. Since 1992, she has also taught a class in broadcast advertising at Providence College.
A supporter of the Hillary Clinton 2008 presidential campaign, Ruggiero attended the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver as an alternate elector.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-08-28 |title=The Democratic National Convention - Jamestown Press |url=https://www.jamestownpress.com/articles/the-democratic-national-convention/ |access-date=2022-04-06 |website=Jamestown Press -}}</ref>
In April 2022, Ruggiero declared her candidacy for lieutenant governor of Rhode Island.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Prosnitz |first=Frank |date=2022-04-04 |title=Jamestown-Middletown Rep. Ruggiero is running for Lieutenant Governor |url=http://whatsupnewp.com/2022/04/jamestown-middletown-rep-ruggiero-is-running-for-lieutenant-governor/ |access-date=2022-04-06 |website=What's Up Newp |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Personal life == Ruggiero is a lesbian; her partner of over 22 years, Joyce Ioanes, died of cancer in 2007.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=news&sc3=&id=85097 |work=EDGE Boston |title=2008: Scandal and Setbacks for Rhode Island Gays |access-date=2008-12-27 |date=2008-12-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://debruggiero.com/index.php/open-letter/ |title=Deb Ruggiero for State Representative: Letter |access-date=2008-12-27}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.jamestownpress.com/news/2007/0301/obituaries/032.html |title=Obituary: Joyce Ioanes, 62 |work=The Jamestown Press |access-date=2009-02-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906140121/http://www.jamestownpress.com/news/2007/0301/obituaries/032.html |archive-date=2008-09-06 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.debruggiero.com/ Campaign website] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20090412073607/http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/Ruggiero/ Legislative homepage]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ruggiero, Deborah}} Category:1958 births Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people Category:American people of Italian descent Category:Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences alumni Category:American lesbian politicians Category:LGBTQ state legislators in Rhode Island Category:Living people Category:Democratic Party members of the Rhode Island House of Representatives Category:People from Newport County, Rhode Island Category:Women state legislators in Rhode Island Category:21st-century members of the Rhode Island General Assembly
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