NEWPORT — In perhaps the highest profile political contest in the region this fall, the challenger is storming across a watery divide, striving to make inroads on her opponent’s turf and taking to the airwaves of her foe’s hometown radio station.

But will political newcomer Donna Perry, of Jamestown, the head of the state Republican Party, be able to defeat Democratic incumbent Sen. Teresa Paiva Weed, who after many years at the State House became the first woman to ascend to the powerful position of Senate Majority Leader? The race is for the District 13 seat that represents Newport and Jamestown.

Paiva Weed says she will be campaigning vigorously to preserve the enviable support she has enjoyed in past elections. In 2006, she ran unopposed. The election before that, she easily turned back Republican challenger John J. Slocum III. And before that she defeated popular Democrat J. Clemente Cicilline in a primary before going on to defeat Jamestown Republican Janine M. Atamian in the general election.

“Certainly, I’ve been out and about and very, very busy,” says Paiva Weed, 48, a lawyer and Newport native. “This is what I do every election,” she said, then adding, “with the exception of the door-to-door knocking. …When you have an opponent, it’s a much greater commitment to door-knocking.”

Paiva Weed says she has begun putting up her signs, but noted, “The election is still five weeks away. You don’t want to inundate too early.”

Her opponent is a former radio reporter who worked on Capitol Hill and for the Republican National Committee in Washington, D.C. Perry, 47, has lived in Jamestown for 10 years.

She said she has been on a mission to find independent voters and persuade them to vote Republican in a state dominated by Democrats. In particular, she has been going door-to-door in Newport, where she isn’t as well known as on Conanicut Island.

“I am doing everything I possibly can and getting everywhere I can possibly get. It’s a challenging race because it’s really two communities,” she said. “It’s Jamestown and Newport. I am spending more of my time certainly in Newport. I’m more known in Jamestown.”

Like Paiva Weed, she’s handing leaflets to people in person and getting her signs up on supporters’ property.

“People are aware of the race. They are aware I’m in the race. That has been encouraging,” she said

Both she and Paiva Weed are finding that voters are focused on the economic troubles that have rocked the financial markets and shook up Washington, D.C.

“In the last few days, people’s thoughts have been much more dominated by national events. They can’t help following what’s going on,” said Paiva Weed.

“This national crisis is a difficult thing. It’s a huge story. From a candidate’s point of view, we are fighting for air time,” said Perry. “We are competing against this very big, very serious issue. I am trying to get people to pay attention. … I am trying to get people to understand that incumbents who have been [in office] for two decades have to be held accountable.”

Both candidates have been holding fundraisers. Paiva Weed held her annual event in May at the Marriott Providence, where tickets went for $150. Between April and June, she raised nearly $28,000, ending the period with $17,892 in her campaign coffers, according to reports filed with the state Board of Election.

Since then, Paiva Weed has held a fundraiser in Jamestown at the home of a friend, Emily Rutherford, and in Newport, at La Forge restaurant. When asked how much she now has in her coffers, she said, “I don’t want to guess.”

Perry declared her candidacy in June and doesn’t have to file a report until the next deadline on Oct. 6. She estimates she has raised $12,000 to $15,000 and figures any candidate who wants to run a competitive campaign for General Assembly must raise between $10,000 and $20,000. The money will help pay for mixed-media advertising, including newspaper ads, direct mailings and radio spots.

Of course, free radio appearances are even better. Perry was a guest on Monday on Michael Kehew’s talk show on WADK-AM Newport. During the show, Perry pledged to meet with her opponent on the show at any time for a debate.

Paiva Weed responded yesterday that she hadn’t had any formal invitation to be on the show, but noted that its host is a former head of the state Republican Party. Having him moderate, she said, “is an unusual approach.”

But, she said, “If the station wants to put something together, that’s different.”

Both of the candidates plan to attend a forum organized by Concerned Citizens About Casino Gambling, to be held Oct. 7 at 6 p.m. at Middletown Public Library. The forum will address not only gambling issues, but the state’s overall economic future.

Paiva Weed, whose law office represents Newport Grand, said she will follow her practice of not discussing gambling issues to avoid any appearance of conflict of interest.

Meanwhile, plenty of other events have been keeping the candidates busy. Paiva Weed said she attended each of the forums and public hearings on the impending arrival of E-ZPass that was held by the Rhode Island Bridge and Turnpike Authority. She said Perry was at two of them.

Both candidates also attended a recent block party for Newport’s Broadway neighborhood. Paiva Weed was at a candidates’ forum in Jamestown sponsored by the Jamestown Shores Association, which Perry said she had to miss because of an open house at her daughter’s school. A statement of hers was read aloud. Perry appeared on a forum on TV sponsored by Operation Clean Government.

“There’s a lot going on,” said Perry.

Paiva Weed said she has been attending as many events as possible, such as participating in cleanups organized by Clean Ocean Access, attending meetings of the governor’s blue ribbon panel on transportation and joining in the annual Alzheimer’s walk in Newport, for which she serves as the honorary chair.

“I like campaigning, meeting people and talking to people and finding out what’s on their minds,” she said.

rsalit@projo.com