Providence city councilor John Goncalves issued an apology after distributing a campaign mailer that featured him alongside prominent progressive U.S. Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ayanna Pressley, despite neither congresswoman endorsing his campaign. The mailer included a photograph of Goncalves with Ocasio-Cortez and Pressley accompanied by the statement “Councilman John Goncalves delivers progressive results,” which prompted swift criticism from both political offices.

Representatives for Ocasio-Cortez and Pressley clarified that the councilor had not received their endorsements. A spokesperson for Ocasio-Cortez stated that the congresswoman does not know Goncalves and was not supporting his bid. Pressley’s office noted that Goncalves had approached the congresswoman at an event to take the photo, describing the use of the image in campaign materials as “misleading and unprofessional” and urging him to correct the record with voters.

Goncalves acknowledged the controversy, attributing it to a production error. He said the campaign mailer should have included a clear disclaimer indicating that the photograph did not imply an endorsement and expressed regret for the confusion caused. “The wrong copy was sent to the printer,” Goncalves said. He confirmed the photo was genuine and taken at a public event, though he was uncertain of the exact timing. Goncalves emphasized his alignment with progressive policies such as the Green New Deal, noting that the intent behind the mailer was to communicate shared progressive values.

The incident comes amid a contested primary race in Ward 1, where Goncalves is seeking his third term on the Providence City Council. He faces a challenge from Miguel Martínez Youngs, a former council staffer backed by progressive organizations including Reclaim Rhode Island and the Working Families Party. These groups have targeted Goncalves, in part due to his earlier vote against a proposed rent stabilization ordinance that aimed to cap annual rent increases at 4 percent. The ordinance was ultimately vetoed by Mayor Brett Smiley, a political ally of Goncalves who resides in the same ward.

Martínez Youngs criticized Goncalves’s campaign for focusing on "optics instead of substance" and accused him of misleading voters by promoting unverified endorsements, including some listed on Goncalves’s campaign website. Goncalves acknowledged that his site contained endorsements from a previous, uncontested campaign and removed the page after the criticism surfaced.

Martínez Youngs played a role in drafting the rent stabilization proposal and resigned from his policy position to run for the council seat. He argued that the city cannot afford to wait years for meaningful policy changes. Goncalves defended his vote against the rent control measure, citing concerns about the ordinance’s rushed approval process and a municipal financial analysis warning of significant tax revenue losses for Providence.

Early voting for the Ward 1 primary begins August 20, ahead of the September 9 election.