- State Senator Dawn Euer of Newport has spent years on Rhode Island's progressive front lines, from helping lead the fight for same-sex marriage to sponsoring major climate legislation.

But with the Trump White House reshaping the political landscape and a setback from last year's State Senate leadership fight Euer faces new headwinds.

So how has that affected her ability to make an impact?

And what do Democrats need to do differently to win more national elections?

I'm Ian Donnis, and that's just some of what we talked about in this in-depth conversation.

(gentle music) Newport Democratic State Senator Dawn Euer, welcome to "One on One."

- Thanks for having me, Ian.

- Let's start with the top story of the moment, the US War with Iran.

The Trump administration has offered a series of motivations for this attack.

Does any of this in your mind, justify this action?

- Oh, absolutely not.

I mean, I haven't heard their latest scam excuse, but the reality is, people are dying and that is not something that I think most Americans wanna see happen, especially another war in the Middle East.

- There seems to be bipartisan agreement that it would not be good if Iran developed a nuclear weapon.

Would that be a sufficient justification to go to war with Iran in your view?

- I mean, look, I'm still waiting to hear the reports of weapons of mass destruction.

I was in college when 9/11 happened, and you know, they came up with a lot of excuses for the aggressions that we did overseas after that national tragedy.

And this really has, you know, what do they say about history, it doesn't repeat, but it rhymes, I think that's what we're seeing right now.

- Let's stay with some national topics.

This is a year for midterm elections.

Usually the party that holds the White House loses congressional seats.

And we're seeing some momentum for your party, the Democratic Party.

There seems to be a measure of backlash toward the Trump Administration for various issues.

Do you think things are gonna work out well for Democrats in the midterm elections this year?

- I really do, and I do think that... I agree with your assessment that there's a backlash against the Trump administration in all of his overreach.

What I really am hoping to see, though, is that the Democrats are able to rally and talk about more than just Trump and really create a vision for the future of our country, because I do think that it is concerning that he was not only elected once, but elected twice.

And so I really think that Democrats really should take, you know, be reflective of that and not simply build a campaign that's anti-Trump, but really that's pro-American and pro a better future for all of us.

- Well, to your point, we've heard a lot about how damaged the Democratic brand is, in particularly in working class communities throughout the US with the benefit of hindsight, I think we could see the presidential election was really there for taking in for Donald Trump in 2024.

President Biden got out at a very late stage.

Democrats were slow to respond to voters' concerns about inflation and other issues.

What do you think Democrats need to do differently to win more elections and be more competitive nationally?

- I think really part of that story of that election cycle is how many people didn't turn out.

And so the story of it just being, you know, Trump winning again, I think is part of the story.

But I think a really important component is who didn't turn up, you know.

So I think the people who are disenfranchised by the limitations of the vision or lack thereof being offered by candidates, I think is something that Democrats really need to pay attention to.

I think that the general public, quite frankly, isn't really partisan.

And I think you see that when you see the overlap of people who voted for Bernie Sanders and for Trump, right?

There's a feeling that these systems that are existing are only working for few, the powerful, the well connected, but they're not working for everyday people.

And I think that if Democrats could understand that message and really integrate that into the policies that they are advocating for, then I think they'll have far greater successes.

- Immigration was one of the big issues that motivated voters in 2024.

Why did Democrats not do a better job in getting in front of that issue?

- I think that there wasn't a better effort or a better conversation around immigration because I think a lot of, especially incumbents operate off of a fear-based strategy, that they want to do what they can to get reelected, but are really kind of more conservative about finding those swing for the fences type policy.

And so the campaign strategy that Trump employed and that the Republicans have employed about this divide and conquer has unfortunately been really effective.

Quite frankly, it's historically effective throughout history in many different administrations throughout the globe.

But I think that, you know, I don't think Democrats should be scared to stand up for founding principles of our country.

We are a nation of immigrants that should be said loudly, boldly, and proudly.

And I think that if that was done and there was conviction and fight behind that, I think Democrats would fare better.

- Senator Euer, your day job is as a lawyer, so you're a student of the law.

I'm sure it's not lost on you how a handful of US Supreme Court justices might retire over the next decade.

We've seen how Republicans have been more effective at playing the hardball to reshape the Supreme Court in a more conservative direction.

Do you think Democrats have a strategy, an effective strategy, to stop that conservative majority from being cemented in a even stronger fashion in the future?

- I have not seen a strategy to stop that direction of the courts, and it is really concerning.

I think that a lot of the decisions, and this isn't new of the Roberts Court, but a lot of the court decisions show how clearly partisan some of the judges are.

And I think that there is a reluctance to call to account that tendency.

And I would like to see, you know, withholding of more, you know, that there shouldn't just be a going along with advice and consents, confirmations, and to your point, play more hardball with those appointments.

- Let's switch gears and bring it back to Rhode Island.

You grew up in Wisconsin, went to undergraduate school in Minnesota, you came to Rhode Island to go to law school at Roger Williams University.

And you're kind of a counter example to the longstanding problem of brain-train in Rhode Island where young people leave Rhode Island for opportunities elsewhere.

What was it that led you to stay in Rhode Island and make your life here?

- I actually came out to Rhode Island because of the leadership that Rhode Island was showing an offshore wind.

When I was looking for law... I had decided that I was gonna go to law school again after 9/11 and the horrors of Guantanamo Bay and some of the decisions that the Supreme Court had made around Citizens United, Guantanamo Bay, I decided that I wanted to go to law school, but then also knowing that I needed to make a living, I was looking at, okay, I'm interested in environment, international law, energy, and Rhode Island had been a leader in offshore wind.

They were gearing up to build the Block Island wind farm.

But I do think that it is a challenge.

The scope of industry and opportunity here is limited, and I think we need to do more to correct that and create opportunity for our young people to stay.

- We're gonna do a lightning round of some questions.

Who are you supporting for governor this year?

- I have not yet decided.

- Which current Rhode Island elected official do you most admire?

- Definitely Peter Neronha.

- And what is the most recent book you've read that you found really interesting?

- I'm in the middle of reading the "Frozen River."

And it's about basically a murder, a murder in a small town and the investigation around that, so.

- Fill in the sentence, the thing that's holding Rhode Island back is... - Shortsighted thinking.

- What is your favorite Newport restaurant?

- Oh, Perro Salado.

- That's a great place.

- Yes, yes.

- You were motivated to stay in Rhode Island by wind power, that was an issue originally championed by Republican governor Donald Carcieri, now we see a Democratic governor Dan McKee seeking to reel back clean energy standards.

And you were the Senate sponsor of the Act on Climate here in Rhode Island, which mandated actions to phase out contributors to climate change.

I wonder, is it possible to move forward with clean energy goals while at the same time reducing energy costs, which are a concern for many Rhode Islanders?

- Oh, not only is it possible, it's absolutely necessary that we are pivoting to offshore, or not just offshore wind, but renewable sources in order to diversify our energy portfolio to create security.

By the way, of the seven countries that we have bombed, since Trump has taken office, the majority of them have massive oil or other mineral reserves.

So I can't help but think, renewable energy doesn't require us to kidnap foreign leaders in order to execute on those plans.

And it is more affordable, it creates diversity in the supply mix, which then, you know, simple supply and demand helps to suppress those costs.

- Do you think the legislature will undo Governor McKee's proposal regarding undoing clean energy mandates that he says run up costs for consumers?

- Yeah, I think that his budget proposal around energy, it really is just a shortsighted gimmick that's gonna actually cause exponential price increases over the long term.

And so I do hope that we will not pass the proposal as it stands.

I do think that there's always room for adjustments and policy, and I think that what we need to do about our energy approach is to be smarter about it and really intentional about it.

So, you know, back to offshore wind, back in 2022, I had legislation about offshore wind.

And when that draft bill was given to me, it included language to expand remuneration, which is essentially was would've been an additional profit margin to the utility on the backs of the long-term contracts for offshore wind.

I fought extremely hard to make sure that that was removed from the statute before we passed it.

And so that's a way that we took some of that extra profit out of the energy bills.

But then last year, there was a bill introduced in both chambers to try to undo that sunset that we had created and also to add remuneration and other aspects of energy.

So it's a very complex area of statute, but I think that with really intentional focus that we can do right by Rhode Islanders and make sure that we have a mix of energy that is reliable and affordable and meets the many interests of Rhode Islanders.

- There was a battle in the Rhode Island Senate last year to choose new leadership after the death of Dominick Ruggerio, you came out on the losing side because your candidate was not selected.

You as often happens at the State House, you were stripped of your chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee, how else have you been affected by being on the losing side of that battle?

- You know, it's interesting to me because I actually sleep very well at night and I know that I'm able to advocate very strongly for my constituents and for the things that I know they care about, and that's to deliver for working people and to fight for the policies that they care about.

But one of the most interesting things that I've witnessed in this is the number of lobbyists who are essentially obeying in advance and deciding to not want to come to me with their legislative proposals, to not want to have me sponsor bills.

You know, that perception of people are in Siberia or whatever if they go against leadership, which it's been interesting to me because I feel like I've had a number of successes in the legislature even after being on the losing side of the leadership fight.

But I suppose I might just define success a little bit differently.

- Being on the outs now in the Senate, does that make you more interested or less interested in staying in the Senate?

- I actually think it makes me more interested in staying.

I think one of the things that I've seen as just an unfortunate trend is that that concept of the retribution approach to politics.

And you know, I know it's been reported and it's well known that two of the Senate leadership team members have recruited family members to run against hardworking incumbents.

And I think that there seems to be an attempt to like return to some insider politics that I really just... Quite frankly, when I first ran, I ran against that type of politics.

And so this really just does steal me to stay in and want to fight for Rhode Islanders to see the general assembly head in a better direction.

- You're referring to the League of Rhode Island businesses, which describes itself as a common sense group, although other people think it leans rather conservative.

It is recruiting mostly Democrats to challenge some progressive lawmakers including colleagues of yours in the Senate like Alana DiMario and Bridget Valverde, what kind of impact do you expect the league of Rhode on businesses to make in elections this year?

- Contested elections I actually think are good for small-d democracy.

So I think that that is good, but I will also say that the elevation of the work that they've done certainly has raised the concern around campaign finance rules, because of how they are bundling their money and basically openly flouting, I think the spirit of the campaign finance laws and allowing, you know, a single person to go around the $2,000 contribution limits with this funding pool that they've developed.

So I definitely think some of that is gonna, you know, be discussed.

I know that I signed onto a bill to help do additional reforms.

I don't think anybody thinks that more money in politics is good, especially not from concentrated sources.

So I think that combination of, you know, the patronage recruitment of candidates as well as the flouting the spirit of the campaign finance laws, I really do hope gets more attention and encourages more people to step up and run.

- As Dominick Ruggerio was in declining health, he missed large parts of the 2024 legislative session.

You were part of a small group of senators who raised concerns about that at one point.

You said something akin to saying you wanted to see a note from his doctor explaining what his condition was, because his staff was maintaining that there were no concerns about his health.

Looking back on that, do you have any regrets on how you expressed yourself on that?

- No, I mean, you know, it's an interesting thing to be, you know, inside the room where it happens as they say, and kind of understand and get a sense as to how decisions are being made and who is making those decisions.

And I think what led me to my decision was really a principled stance that I had voted for a senate president that just I didn't feel was capable of doing the job anymore, and that I was seeing firsthand, he was not able to do the job anymore.

I had actually a very good working relationship with him.

So I do regret that, you know, any like personal hurt that was caused by it.

But that was really not my intention, my intention was really... It's a principled stand.

We have a senate president that needs to serve a certain number of functions so that we can function as a chamber, so that we can all do our jobs for the benefit of Rhode Islanders.

And so I really do stand by all of my actions and words at those times, and unfortunately I can't control how other people respond to those things.

- Senator Euer, as a lawmaker from Newport, you've been a little bit insulated from the Washington Bridge, perhaps not having to travel on it as much as people closer to Providence, but that's kind of the poster child for some people who see state government as being less than competent in Rhode Island and not doing a good job with the taxpayer's money.

What do you say to that?

Is Rhode Island failing to spend taxpayers money wisely, and if so, what is the cure?

So I signed on to Senator Sam Zurier put in legislation to have a audit of the DOT finances; I definitely have a lot of questions about how the money is being spent and how the projects are being overseen.

And quite frankly, the oversight committee hearing didn't make me feel any better about that.

I don't think it's reasonable for us to essentially spend three times as much to have a consultant check, a consultant to check a consultant, which is kind of the information that came out of how we are managing these projects.

I understand and appreciate the redundancy, I understand and appreciate the concern that a lot of people have about not wanting to kind of have a huge pension obligation and a lot of in-house staff, which is I think where some of that was coming from in that approach to managing projects.

But there really isn't a realistic way that we can say that we are being good stewards of taxpayer dollars if we don't have anybody on staff that is able to say from their own professional experience if a project is within scope, within budget, and done to the quality and standards that are expected in industry standards.

So without being able to say those three elements are up to par, I think that we are not being good stewards of tax taxpayer dollars.

- Back in 2013 with Bill Fisher, Devin Short Pants Driscoll, and the late Ray Sullivan, you were part of the Brain Trust that helped to manage a grassroots campaign that resulted in Rhode Island legalizing same-sex marriage.

Here we are, it's a very different atmosphere nationally now.

What do you see as the main concerns for people in the extended LGBTQ community?

- You know, I see really the attacks on healthcare are huge, especially against trans Americans.

And that filters down to trans Rhode Islanders.

And I think that that is quite frankly well-founded.

There's a lot of funny business being played on the federal level to try to undermine, you know, grant reimbursements or financial reimbursements in the healthcare sector, really to try to gut operational funding for facilities that are providing trans-inclusive care and gender affirming care.

And I think that that's well founded, and I've been dismayed to see some democratic leadership and democratic members who are willing to kind of throw the trans community under the bus in order to... I think they think they're taking a more politically popular approach, but I really don't see it that way.

I think that as an elected official, I want to fight for the dignity and rights of all Rhode Islanders and that includes the trans community, that includes immigrants.

- Back in 2024, President Trump weaponized the transgender issue in an ad aimed at Kamala Harris, do Democrats need to find a different way to communicate about that issue?

- I think that, you know, I'll go back to, you know, the comparison to marriage equality, one of the things that we did around marriage equality was really try to help arm people with the language that they could make the case and create shared values and shared stories that people could connect with and could resonate with.

And I think unfortunately what has been happening to the trans community and quite frankly, the immigrant community, is that their very existence is being weaponized as an ability to, like, scapegoat and demonize a section of our population.

And I do think that, you know, Democrats in particular, I think, need to do more, get comfortable, and be willing to take a strong stance and not throw members of our community under the bus for political expediency.

- In closing, you reside in Newport, one of Rhode Island's most distinctive communities, what are you excited or discouraged about in terms of what's happening in Newport?

- I think that Newport in particular has really seen a lot of, quite frankly, gentrification.

We are very much a community of haves and have-nots.

Everybody thinks of Bellevue Avenue, but we also have one of the highest percentage of affordable housing.

But one of the things that I've been very excited to see in this newest Trump term is the coming together of people who are new to the community, who are, you know, generational Newporters, that people are coming together to try to find and build community and to support each other.

And I think that that has been a really, really beautiful, a beautiful thing to see.

- Newport Democratic State Senator Dawn Euer, thank you for joining us.

- Thank you for having me.

- Thanks for watching "One on One" with me, Ian Donnis.

You can find all of our past interviews on the YouTube channel for Ocean State Media.

We'll see you next week.

(gentle music)