Kim Ahern, a former state prosecutor who resigned earlier this week as chair of the state Cannabis Control Commission, formally announced Thursday her Democratic run to be Rhode Island’s next attorney general.
“Our fundamental rights are under attack, and we need an attorney general who will fight back,” Ahern, 41, said in a statement. “For me, that fight is personal. From protecting the legality of my marriage to my wife Jenna, to guaranteeing our daughters don’t grow up in a world with fewer freedoms than we had, to ensuring Rhode Island remains a safe and welcoming place for all, the stakes are too high to sit on the sidelines.”
Ahern’s entry to the race, with former prosecutor Keith Hoffmann and state Rep. Jason Knight (D-Barrington), creates the first three-way Democratic primary for attorney general since 2010.
The primary is in September 2026.
Ahern filed a notice of organization Wednesday with the state Board of Elections and her initial challenge is raising enough money to compete on a footing with Hoffmann and Knight. Rep. Robert Craven (D-North Kingstown) announced a run for AG, but later withdrew.
Ahern served as a special assistant attorney general under Attorney General Peter Neronha, who is precluded by term limits from seeking re-election, and his two predecessors, Peter Kilmartin and Patrick Lynch. She later worked as deputy legal counsel to Gov. Gina Raimondo and deputy chief of staff to Gov. Dan McKee.
Ahern, who lives in Providence, is a graduate of Providence College and Roger Williams University School of Law.
She said she was raised by her parents to value public service and efforts to improve communities.
“As a counselor to two governors and three attorneys general, I have the experience to fight for Rhode Islanders’ rights and defend not just our laws but our values,” Ahern said. “I am encouraged by the outpouring of support I have received, and I look forward to sharing our vision with neighbors across Rhode Island over the coming months.”
In related news, Republican Chas Calenda, who ran against Neronha in 2022, has indicated that he also plans to seek the AG’s office.
According to his website, Calenda is running “because the law should serve the people, not the powerful. For over 12 years, Chas served as an Assistant Attorney General right here in Rhode Island, prosecuting some of the state’s toughest cases and standing up for victims when it mattered most. Today, as a defense attorney, he continues to fight in the courtroom every day - armed with unmatched litigation experience and a commitment to fairness, not politics.”
