Gabe Amo

Gabe Amo
Born	Gabriel Felix Kofi Amo 11 12, 1987
Birthplace	Pawtucket, Rhode Island, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician
Known for	U.S. Representative for Rhode Island's 1st congressional district
Education	Wheaton College (BA) Merton College, Oxford (MSc)
Website	[[amo.house.gov amo.house.gov] Official site]

Gabriel Felix Kofi Amo (born December 11, 1987) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Rhode Island's 1st congressional district since November 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, Amo won a special election to succeed David Cicilline, who resigned from Congress to lead the Rhode Island School of Design. Born and raised in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, to a Ghanaian immigrant father and a mother with roots in Rhode Island, Amo built a career in public service that took him from the Obama and Biden administrations to Rhode Island state government before his election to Congress. He served as deputy director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs under President Joe Biden and held roles in the Obama White House focused on urban affairs and economic mobility. His 2023 primary victory made him the first person of color to represent Rhode Island in Congress.

Early Life

Gabriel Felix Kofi Amo was born on December 11, 1987, in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. His father emigrated from Ghana to the United States, and his mother had deep roots in Rhode Island. Amo's Ghanaian heritage is reflected in his middle name, Kofi, a traditional Akan day name given to males born on a Friday. His upbringing in Pawtucket, an industrial city in the northeastern part of Rhode Island, shaped his interest in public service and community development.

Amo grew up in a family that valued education and civic engagement. Pawtucket, historically a working-class city with a significant immigrant population, provided the young Amo with firsthand exposure to the challenges facing urban communities in Rhode Island, including economic inequality and the need for investment in public infrastructure. These experiences would later inform his policy priorities in both his administrative roles and his congressional campaign.

His Ghanaian-American identity connected him to both the local Rhode Island community and the broader Ghanaian diaspora in the United States. The Embassy of Ghana in Washington, D.C. has recognized Amo as a notable member of the Ghanaian-American community.

Education

Amo attended Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2010. At Wheaton, Amo studied political science and was active in campus life, developing the academic foundation for his career in government and policy.

Following his undergraduate studies, Amo pursued graduate education at the University of Oxford in England. He was a member of Merton College, one of the oldest constituent colleges of the university, where he earned a Master of Science degree. His time at Oxford provided him with an international perspective on policy and governance that he would carry into his subsequent roles in the federal government.

Career

Obama Administration

Amo began his career in the federal government during the administration of President Barack Obama. He served in the White House, where he worked on issues related to urban affairs and economic mobility. His portfolio included policy areas affecting American cities and communities, particularly those dealing with economic opportunity and upward mobility for disadvantaged populations.

His work in the Obama administration gave Amo significant experience in federal policymaking and intergovernmental relations, establishing him as a young professional with expertise in domestic policy. The connections and institutional knowledge he built during this period would prove valuable in his later return to the White House under President Biden.

Rhode Island State Government

Between his service in the Obama and Biden administrations, Amo returned to Rhode Island, where he worked in the administration of Governor Gina Raimondo. His role in state government allowed him to apply his federal experience to Rhode Island-specific issues and to deepen his connections to the state's political landscape. Working for Raimondo, a fellow Democrat who would later serve as United States Secretary of Commerce under President Biden, further expanded Amo's professional network and policy experience at the state level.

Biden Administration

In February 2021, Amo was appointed to serve in the Biden administration as deputy director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs (IGA). The IGA serves as the primary liaison between the White House and state, local, tribal, and territorial governments across the United States. In his role as deputy director, Amo was responsible for coordinating communication and policy implementation between the federal government and subnational governments.

His appointment was noted both in Rhode Island, where he was recognized as another state native joining the Biden administration, and in the Ghanaian-American community, where his selection for a key White House role was seen as a point of pride. Wheaton College also highlighted the appointment of its alumnus to the White House position.

In his IGA role, Amo worked on the implementation of major Biden administration priorities, including coordination with state and local governments on pandemic response, infrastructure investment, and other domestic policy initiatives. The position placed him at the intersection of federal and local governance, giving him a detailed understanding of how federal policy decisions affect communities at the ground level.

2023 Congressional Campaign

Background

In April 2023, Representative David Cicilline announced his intention to resign from Rhode Island's 1st congressional district to become president of the Rhode Island School of Design. His departure triggered a special election process. Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee set dates for a special election to fill the vacancy, which included both a Democratic primary and a general election.

Announcement and Campaign

On April 18, 2023, Amo announced his candidacy for the 1st Congressional District seat. He entered the race emphasizing his experience in both the Obama and Biden White Houses, his work in Rhode Island state government, and his roots in Pawtucket. His campaign positioned him as a candidate with deep ties to the district and substantial policy experience at the highest levels of government.

The Democratic primary attracted a crowded field of candidates. Among the most prominent contenders was Aaron Regunberg, a former Rhode Island state representative who ran to Amo's political left. Internal polling released by the Amo campaign during the race showed him in second place behind Regunberg at one stage, with other candidates including former Rhode Island Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea and others trailing behind.

The race grew increasingly competitive in its final weeks. The Boston Globe reported that the campaign became contentious in its closing days, with candidates drawing sharp contrasts on issues including healthcare, housing, and their qualifications for the seat.

Primary Victory

On September 5, 2023, Amo won the Democratic primary for Rhode Island's 1st Congressional District. His victory was reported by multiple news outlets, including the Boston Globe, WPRI, and the New York Times.

Politico reported on Amo's primary win, noting the significance of his victory in a competitive field and his path from White House aide to congressional candidate.

General Election

Following his primary win, Amo was the heavy favorite in the general election in the strongly Democratic 1st Congressional District. Rhode Island's 1st District, which includes Providence, Pawtucket, Newport, and much of the eastern part of the state, has been represented by Democrats for decades. Amo won the special general election and took office on November 13, 2023, succeeding David Cicilline.

His election made him the first person of color to represent Rhode Island in the United States Congress, a historic milestone for the state.

U.S. House of Representatives

Tenure

Amo began his service in the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2023. He serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, where he holds the position of Vice Ranking Member, as well as serving as the lead Democrat for the delegation to NATO.

Legislative Activity

In Congress, Amo has pursued both bipartisan and partisan legislative initiatives. In February 2026, Amo and Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) launched the bipartisan Community Foundation Caucus, aimed at supporting community foundations across the United States. The caucus was designed to bring together members of both parties to advocate for the role of community foundations in local development and philanthropy.

Amo has also been active on consumer protection issues. In February 2026, he led a bipartisan effort, alongside Representative Jamie Raskin and other members of the Stop Scams Caucus, demanding answers from Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg regarding billions of dollars Americans have lost to scams on Meta's platforms.

On foreign policy, Amo introduced legislation in January 2026 related to preventing the acquisition of NATO territory, leveraging his role on the Foreign Affairs Committee and as lead Democrat for the NATO delegation.

Constituent Service and State Advocacy

Amo has been active in addressing local issues affecting his district. In February 2026, he released a statement following a shooting at Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, his hometown, addressing gun violence in the community.

In late February 2026, Amo joined with the rest of Rhode Island's congressional delegation to seek a federal emergency declaration for the state due to a historic winter storm. The delegation's request was aimed at streamlining the federal response and enabling state and local jurisdictions to seek reimbursement for response costs.

Relationship with the Trump Administration

Following the inauguration of President Donald Trump in January 2025, Amo has positioned himself as a vocal critic of the administration. In February 2026, Amo announced he would not attend Trump's State of the Union address. Instead, he released a statement titled "Real State of the Union," in which he shared the stories of Rhode Islanders and their experiences under the Trump administration.

Personal Life

Amo was born and raised in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and has maintained strong ties to his home community throughout his career in government. His father is an immigrant from Ghana, and his Ghanaian heritage has been a component of his public identity. His middle name, Kofi, is an Akan name traditionally given to males born on Friday.

Amo has been recognized within the Ghanaian-American community for his achievements in government. The Embassy of Ghana in Washington, D.C., has acknowledged him as a notable member of the diaspora community in the United States.

His career trajectory — from Pawtucket to Wheaton College, Oxford, the Obama White House, Rhode Island state government, the Biden White House, and then Congress — reflects a path through multiple levels of American government and public service. He was 35 years old when he won the 2023 special election, making him one of the younger members of the 118th Congress.

Recognition

Amo's election to Congress in 2023 was covered as a historic event for Rhode Island. The New York Times and other national outlets reported on his Democratic primary victory, noting that he became the first person of color to represent the state in Congress. His win attracted attention both nationally and internationally, particularly within the Ghanaian-American community.

Wheaton College, his undergraduate alma mater, has highlighted Amo's career on multiple occasions. The college featured his appointment to the Biden White House and his political career in its institutional communications, presenting him as a notable alumnus of the political science program.

His campaign for Congress drew coverage from major national political outlets, including Politico, the Boston Globe, and the New York Times, reflecting the significance of the race both within Rhode Island and in the broader context of national Democratic politics.