Democrats are already in their longest stretch of one-party dominance of the Rhode Island attorney general’s office in state history, and they’re heavily favored to continue that streak this year.

There is now a four-way Democratic primary beginning to take shape, with Kim Ahern, Keith Hoffmann, and state Representatives Jason Knight and Joe Solomon Jr. seeking to extend their party’s streak into a third decade. (Jeff Pine, the last Republican attorney general, left office in 1999).

So what are their paths to victory? Here’s an early look at the Sept. 8 primary.

Kim Ahern
The former chair of the Cannabis Control Commission, Ahern made a splash by raising $273,000 in her first two months in the race at the end of 2025. Today she’s out with an introductory digital ad where she touts her record working for three attorneys general and multiple governors (notably, her picture is with former governor Gina Raimondo). 

Ahern appears to have a lot of advantages in the current field – including being the only woman in the race – but there is going to be a lot of overlap in support bases with Hoffmann and Knight. Her best bet would be to run strong in Providence and clean up in other reliably progressive parts of the state like Edgewood, the East Bay, and East Greenwich.

Keith Hoffmann
Hoffmann had the first-mover advantage in the race by starting to raise funds in August, and he has already brought in around $320,000. He also has the endorsement of outgoing Attorney General Peter Neronha after serving as chief of policy in the attorney general’s office. You can watch his introductory digital ad here.

You can’t underestimate the value of Neronha’s endorsement in this primary, especially if the outgoing attorney general maintains a high profile in his final year in office. He even used a recent interview with Convergence Rhode Island to make the case that Hoffmann is the only candidate capable of leading the fight against the Trump administration. He has to hope that he and Ahern don’t swallow each other’s support, paving the way for another candidate.

Jason Knight
A longtime state representative, Knight was among the General Assembly’s leaders when it came to passing gun safety legislation. Like Ahern and Hoffmann, he also has experience working in the attorney general’s office. Here’s his introduction to voters.

Knight should be formidable with voters in the East Bay (he represents Barrington and Warren), but he risks having both Ahern and Hoffmann cut into his support base. The advantage he has over the field right now is that he’s more comfortable on camera and talking to the media. But that only lasts so long as everyone else gains reps.

Joe Solomon, Jr.
The state representative from Warwick somehow has both the clearest and most difficult path to winning the Democratic primary. He’s by far the most conservative candidate in the field, so he won’t have problems separating himself from Ahern, Hoffmann, and Knight. Then again, he’s going to face questions from voters about voting against the assault weapons ban last year.

If Solomon can win Warwick as decisively as he’s going to lose in places like the East Side of Providence, he has a chance in the race. But that’s a big “if.” He’s starting the race with more than $300,000 in his campaign account, which is on par with the rest of the field.