Allan Fung Wins Rhode Island House District 15 Seat
The independent candidate defeated Republican incumbent Chris Paplauskas and Democrat Colleen Crudele in the race for District 15.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Allan Fung won a seat in the Rhode Island House of Representatives for District 15 on Tuesday, defeating Republican incumbent Chris Paplauskas and Democrat Colleen Crudele. The results are unofficial pending certification.
Why it matters
Fung, a former Cranston mayor who ran as an independent after previously being a Republican, won a seat his wife, Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung, had held. The result shifts the representation of District 15 in the state House.
Fung won District 15 on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, but the results remain unofficial until certified. Paplauskas had won the open seat in 2024 by just 26 votes, and final 2026 vote margins have not been reported.
The players
Allan Fung
Former Cranston mayor who won the District 15 seat as an independent after previously identifying as a Republican, and who sought a seat once held by his wife.
Chris Paplauskas
Republican incumbent who was defeated in the District 15 race after winning the open seat in 2024 by 26 votes.
The details
Fung ran as an independent and defeated both the Republican incumbent and the Democratic candidate in the District 15 contest. He previously served as Cranston's mayor from 2009 to 2021 and is a former Republican.
Timeline
2009 to 2021: Fung served as mayor of Cranston.
2024: Fenton-Fung left the District 15 seat to run for mayor, and Paplauskas won the open seat.
November 3, 2026: Fung won the District 15 House seat in the election.
Need to Know
Paplauskas won the 2024 District 15 open seat by only 26 votes, and his defeat in 2026 reverses that razor-thin result. The shift underscores how closely contested this district has been in recent cycles.
Residents of District 15 will see a new state representative once the results are certified. The change in representation may affect constituent services and how local issues are handled in the House.
The takeaway
Narrow local elections can hinge on a few dozen votes, so tracking certification results matters for anyone following a district's outcome. Watching the official count helps confirm which candidate ultimately takes the seat.
Further reading
Explore more on Elections coverage for Rhode Island races and results.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WJAR.
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