Several Cranston officials urge Fenton-Fung to ‘consider other options’ ahead of campaign launch

January 28, 2024 10:27 pm

Ryan Medeiros,

Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung (left) and Ken Hopkins (right) are set to face off in the 2024 election

CRANSTON, R.I. (WLNE) — Several Cranston city representatives are backing Mayor Ken Hopkins as Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung plans to launch her mayoral campaign on January 30.

Republican city officials wrote to Fenton-Fung on Jan. 4, asking her to “consider other options” instead of challenging Hopkins in the Republican primary.

The letter, released on Sunday by the Hopkins campaign team, goes on to suggest a challenge to the incumbent mayor “will have an extreme negative effect” on the party and “endanger the possibility of Republicans maintaining control” in office.

The Hopkins campaign team also shared a list of city officials backing the incumbent mayor ahead of the 2024 election cycle.

Among those listed were Council Minority Leader Nicole Renzulli and Councilmembers Richard Campopiano and Christopher Paplauskas, all of whom contributed to the letter sent to Fenton-Fung.

“Ken Hopkins’s lifelong dedication to Cranston, encompassing roles as an educator, administrator, council member, and now as Mayor, underscores his profound commitment to public service,” Renzulli said in a statement shared by the Hopkins team.

Cranston School Committee Chairperson Michael Traficante also expressed his support for Hopkins, emphasizing the incumbent’s background in education as an important factor.

ABC 6 reached out to Fenton-Fung for comment, and she responded Sunday evening, saying in a statement:

“With Ken Hopkins at the helm, the Republican party in Cranston has been humiliated. Not only by losing control of the council to the Democrats after a petty fight between him and Councilman Ferri resulted in the latter’s party switch, but then by getting pummeled in a special election in one of the most Republican wards in the city – in Mr. Hopkins’s own backyard.

The “my way or the highway” tactics Ken Hopkins and his campaign team have been using belong in the 1950s – women don’t take orders from men like that anymore. His team’s numerous overtures to get me out of the race in the past few weeks are only more evidence that he must be concerned that his ideas and track record are not all that popular.

I’m very much aware that they view me as a threat because my approach and ideas transcend the old school way of doing business, and are very popular to Republicans, Independents, and Democrats alike.”

Fenton-Fung, 43, is the wife of former Cranston Mayor, Allen Fung, whom Hopkins succeeded four years ago.

The full letter from the officials to Fenton-Fung can be seen below: