Paiva-Weed secures votes for Senate presidency

State Sen. Teresa Paiva-Weed, D-Newport, has apparently secured the votes needed to become the first female president of the Rhode Island Senate.

After a meeting of about 14 senators Thursday night, the stage is set for Paiva-Weed to win the endorsement for the Senate presidency at a caucus scheduled for Monday.  The full Senate will elect its president on the first day of the next session in January.

Paiva-Weed was elected majority leader four years ago and she had a head start in the leadership contest, which involved one other contender.  Sen. William Walaska, D-Warwick, withdrew his candidacy Thursday.

A deal was struck Wednesday evening at the State House in a meeting that included Dan Connors. The 32-year-old senator from Cumberland will become the majority leader.

The quick resolution of the vacancy in the president’s chair is key to the balance between the House and the Senate. Paiva-Weed now will be able to hold a meeting with Speaker of the House William Murphy, who cemented his position with an official caucus vote Thursday night.

Paiva-Weed also can begin to put together the staff she feels is important to addressing the pressing problems of Rhode Island, such as the economy.  She said staffing the Finance Committee will be a priority.

It shouldn’t be long before she and the leadership in the House have a meeting about the direction of the General Assembly in the upcoming session.

The leadership battle in the Senate was set up by the defeat of Senate President Joseph Montalbano on Tuessday.