SMITHFIELD/GLOCESTER – Two former colleagues on the Smithfield Town Council, both of whom served as president of the board, are running to represent House of Representatives District 53, serving Smithfield and Glocester.
Aside from that commonality on the shared position and their stated love for Smithfield and House District 53, the differences between Suzy Alba and Paul Santucci are many.
Alba, a Democrat, said she feels good about the work she’s put in on the campaign trail. She’s knocked on more than 5,000 doors, many more than her busiest runs for council, she said. In her first run for state office, she’s also been backed by so much campaign support from unions, including, teachers, police, fire, and the SEIU.
“The work and outreach that’s taken place on my behalf is definitely making me feel very confident,” she said.
Santucci, a Republican running for re-election on a slogan of “experience that works for District 53,” did not respond to numerous requests to discuss the race this week.
Alba answered four questions from The Local Insider that Santucci was also sent, including what she sees as the biggest differences between them, how much of her effectiveness in the role will be tied to the relationships she’s built, what she’s finding are the biggest concerns from residents, and what her party’s values mean to her.
Alba said they have different priorities and different approaches to leadership.
“For me, public service has always been about bringing people together and making sure residents have a real voice in the decisions that impact their lives,” she said. “During my time on the council, I worked to create more opportunities for people to get involved, whether that was helping launch the Smithfield Youth Council, recruiting residents for town boards and commissions, or creating the Smithfield Samaritans Program.”
She said she’s always believed that leadership isn’t about titles.
“It’s about listening, showing up, and building trust. I respect Paul’s service, and this race should be about our records, our priorities, and what kind of representation Smithfield residents want moving forward.”
But Santucci didn’t pass a single bill that he introduced this year, she said.
“Relationships matter, particularly when building and passing effective public policy, and I already have strong pre-existing relationships with many of the state reps from other cities and towns as result of my past statewide professional and volunteer work,” she said. “I plan to deliver results for the towns of Smithfield and Glocester, advocate for more state dollars for our schools, coto protect our seniors, and fight for lowering costs.”
She said she’s also a mom of a child in elementary school now, giving her an understanding of today’s challenges and opportunities in public education and what working families raising children need right now.
“A lot has changed since Paul’s grown adult children were in school,” she said. “I am more in line and in touch with families in our community.”
A recent RIGOP spotlight on Santucci highlighted his personal stake in the future of the district. His time on various boards gave him experience with municipal priorities and the financial decisions that influence a community’s future.
House Minority Leader Michael Chippendale shared how Santucci’s longtime experience in finance brought needed financial oversight for a $15 billion state budget.
Santucci identifies the cost of everyday necessities as a central concern for Rhode Islanders, and says he wants the government to take a closer look at its own operations before asking taxpayers to shoulder additional costs. He is also advocating for communities maintaining control of their own future on development.
The topics she hears most about from residents are affordability, taxes, public schools, and preserving the quality of life that makes the community such a special place.
“People are worried about rising costs of utilities, groceries, raising kids, whether their aging parents can continue to afford healthcare and stay in their homes, and if their recent college grads can afford to live on their own or buy their first home after graduation,” she said. “Jobs, affordability, healthcare and education are the main issues on the minds of residents right now.”
People are also paying close attention to how towns are growing and want to make sure development is handled responsibly and with input from the community, she said. “The conversations around large-scale data centers are a perfect example. Residents want transparency. They want information. Most importantly, they want to know their voices matter before major decisions are made.”
She said her job is to listen, ask questions, understand the facts, and make sure residents’ concerns are part of the conversation from the beginning, not after decisions have already been made.
“I’ve always believed that being an elected official is about more than showing up during campaign season. It’s about being present, accessible, and responsive year-round,” she said. “At the end of the day, people want to know someone is listening. They want to know their concerns are being taken seriously. That’s the kind of representative I strive to be.”
Smithfield appears to be seeing record numbers of early voters, Alba said, in line with trends statewide. She said many local high school students reached out to help her with her campaign, and they’re helping to connect with younger voters, including many away at college who are voting by mail.
The topics resonating with those younger voters are her goals for strengthening and investing in public education, she said, as well as making higher education more affordable and student loan forgiveness programs to help young professionals in fields such as social work, nursing, teaching, and public safety.
Addressing the student loan crisis will be a step toward the goal of making the cost of living more affordable, she said.
With all the vitriol and doom and gloom in the national news landscape, she said, it’s been wonderful to see young people get to speak directly with people in their community and hear about issues directly impacting their neighbors, “the good side of politics.” She said people have been nothing but respectful to them as they’ve campaigned.
Alba said she never leads with her party designation, but always runs as Suzy Alba, introducing herself as someone who can help with their issues. That’s an approach she maintained as a member of the council, she said, always focusing on the issues people are facing and how she was going to help make them better.
Alba said relationships matter because government works best when people are willing to work together.
“Over the years, I’ve built strong relationships with local officials, community leaders, and residents, not because of politics, but because I believe collaboration gets results,” she said. “Those relationships help because they make it easier to have honest conversations, tackle difficult issues, and move projects forward. They allow you to bring people together even when there are differences of opinion. I’ve worked in higher education, nonprofits and government, and I am a small business owner, so I have gained the experience, respect, and reputation statewide to serve the two towns in District 53 honorably and deliver real results.”
Democratic values, she said, are rooted in fairness and opportunity.
“I believe government should work for everyone, not just the people with the loudest voices or the most influence,” she said. “That means supporting strong public schools, helping working families get ahead, and making sure seniors can continue to live in the communities they helped build.”
It also means treating people with dignity and respect, she added, regardless of who they are, what they believe, or where they come from.
“At the same time, I don’t believe good ideas belong to one political party. If something will help the people of Smithfield, I’ll work with anyone willing to be part of the solution,” she said. “My values help guide my decisions, but my responsibility is to represent everyone in my district. That’s what good public service looks like.”
