FIRST IN
INDEPENDENCE.
IT'S TIME TO BE FIRST AGAIN.
On May 4, 1776 — 62 days before the Declaration of Independence — Rhode Island became the first colony to renounce allegiance to the British Crown. That independent spirit is alive today. Join us in restoring the conservative principles that made this nation great.
Rhode Island Declares Independence
Before the Declaration of Independence
Of American Independence — 2026
THE COLONY THAT DARED TO GO FIRST
On May 4, 1776, the General Assembly of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations voted to formally renounce allegiance to King George III — becoming the first colony in America to declare independence from the British Crown. This bold act of defiance came a full 62 days before the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776.
Rhode Island's independent streak was no accident. Founded by Roger Williams on principles of religious liberty and self-governance, the Ocean State was built on the idea that free people — not distant governments — should determine their own destiny.
As the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary of independence in 2026, that founding spirit is more relevant than ever. Rhode Island was first to break free. It must be first to break free again — from the high taxes, runaway spending, and government overreach that have left it trailing the nation in nearly every measure of prosperity.
THE STATE THAT WAS FIRST
IS NOW LAST.
Decades of one-party liberal governance have driven Rhode Island to the bottom of nearly every national ranking. The data is unambiguous.
THE PRINCIPLES THAT BUILT
THIS NATION.
Lower Taxes
Rhode Island families and businesses deserve to keep more of what they earn. Excessive taxation drives jobs and residents out of state. We believe in a competitive, fair tax structure that rewards work and investment.
Limited Government
Government closest to the people governs best. We advocate for reducing bureaucratic overreach, cutting wasteful spending, and returning decision-making power to Rhode Island families and local communities.
Less Regulation
Excessive red tape has strangled Rhode Island's small businesses and manufacturing base. Sensible, targeted regulation protects citizens without punishing entrepreneurs who create jobs and opportunity.
Family Affordability
The cost of living in Rhode Island is crushing working families. From energy bills to groceries, we fight to lower the burden on every household by reducing taxes on goods and letting people keep their own money.
Bring Jobs Back
Rhode Island once led the nation in manufacturing and innovation. Pro-growth policies, workforce development, and a welcoming business climate will restore the jobs that decades of liberal governance drove away.
Personal Accountability
The foundation of a free society is personal responsibility. We believe in empowering individuals — not expanding dependency — and in rewarding the hard work, ingenuity, and resilience that built this nation.
RHODE ISLANDERS DESERVE BETTER.
Working families in Rhode Island are being squeezed from every direction. Energy bills are among the highest in the nation. Groceries cost more. Taxes take a bigger bite. And the jobs that once sustained communities across the Ocean State have largely disappeared.
This didn't happen by accident. It is the direct result of policies that prioritize government growth over individual freedom, that tax first and ask questions later, and that have made Rhode Island one of the least competitive states in the country.
It doesn't have to be this way. The same independent spirit that made Rhode Island first in independence can make it first in prosperity — if we have the courage to demand it.
THE OCEAN STATE NEEDS YOU.
Rhode Island was first to declare independence. It can be first to restore it. Join thousands of Rhode Islanders who are standing up for lower taxes, more freedom, and a government that works for the people — not the other way around.