RICHMOND, Rhode Island — Rep. David Cicilline’s (D-RI) shock resignation announcement Tuesday has spurred an early struggle to be successful him.
Cicilline, who held Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District seat for approximately twelve a long time, introduced that he will stage down by June 1 to suppose a place as the president and CEO of the Rhode Island Basis, triggering a particular election on a considerably murky time body.
DAVID CICILLINE TO RESIGN FROM CONGRESS, OPENING SEAT IN RHODE ISLAND
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(AP Image/Mariam Zuhaib)
For the duration of his tenure in Congress, Cicilline served as an impeachment supervisor for previous President Donald Trump’s 2nd Senate demo. He also produced a identify for himself by championing antitrust steps in opposition to Large Tech.
Cicilline started his meteoric political increase when he threw his hat into the ring to grow to be the mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, in the early 2000s. At the time, the office environment was held by the late Buddy Cianci, a controversial determine in the state’s cash and most populous metropolis.
A lot of political heavyweights at the time experienced been skittish about squaring off with the lengthy-serving mayor, but a corruption scandal finally sacked Cianci from the race, and Cicilline later on soared to victory, paving the way for his subsequent ascension to Congress in 2011.
Offered the state’s smaller dimensions, some politicians who dwell in the other district might be aggressive in the 1st District. Notably, Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI) lived in the 1st District prior to his 2022 operate for the 2nd District to be successful Rep. James Langevin (D-RI).
Below are ten politicians who could be successful Cicilline.
Helena Foulkes
The momentum was on her facet for the duration of the waning times of the 2022 Democratic main for governor, but Helena Foulkes, the previous president of CVS Overall health, finally arrived up quick in opposition to incumbent Gov. Dan McKee.
Her breakout functionality in the midterm cycle places her in a solid place for a hypothetical particular election contest. Also, Foulkes enjoys solid ties to previous Household Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). Foulkes reportedly life in Narragansett, Rhode Island, which is positioned in the 2nd District.
Nellie Gorbea
Given that concluding her phrase-restricted tenure as secretary of point out at the start out of the yr, Nellie Gorbea experienced been rumored to be vying for the president and CEO of the Rhode Island Basis position that Cicilline snagged.
She ran unsuccessfully in the contentious Democratic main for governor previous cycle, starting to be one particular of the initial significant candidates to obstacle McKee. Gorbea formerly indicated that she most likely would not go after office environment once more, but ripe prospects can occasionally transform minds. Gorbea reportedly life in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, outdoors the 1st District.
Gina Raimondo
Acquiring served as governor of the point out prior to becoming a member of the Biden administration, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo has been issue to excitement that she has harbored aspirations to grow to be a member of both chamber of Congress.
She notably abstained from Langevin’s open up seat in the 2022 cycle, but Cicilline’s departure provides her a 2nd possibility to take into account a operate.
Peter Neronha
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) is one particular formal who produced the hop from legal professional standard to one particular of the chambers of Congress. Neronha, who life in the 1st District, clinched a smashing reelection victory in the 2022 midterm elections, and is held in significant esteem in Rhode Island Democratic circles, could be upcoming.
So significantly, Neronha has revealed tiny inclination towards leaving prosecutor positions to operate for legislative roles.
Angel Taveras
Again in the 2014 gubernatorial cycle, Angel Taveras ran a considerably aggressive race but was finally bested by Raimondo. He served as the mayor of Providence from 2011 to 2015, obtaining been the initial Latino in the publish.
Taveras also ran for Congress in 1999 but misplaced. He is now an legal professional and has not operate a marketing campaign in practically a ten years.
Jorge Elorza
Jorge Elorza just stepped down as the mayor of Providence before this yr owing to phrase limitations, and he was succeeded by Brett Smiley. Pursuing his departure, he prepared to instruct at Roger Williams College Faculty of Legislation.
Elorza formerly abstained from the gubernatorial main in 2022. The 1st District encompasses a lot of the metropolis of Providence as very well as chunks of Providence County. He is approximated to be sitting down on a approximately $1 million war upper body from marketing campaign cash that could theoretically be transformed for a congressional operate.
James Diossa
Two of Point out Treasurer James Diossa’s fast predecessors catapulted on to other outstanding roles. Magaziner gained the 2nd District congressional race previous yr, and his predecessor, Raimondo, jumped from the Treasury publish to governor.
Diossa formerly served as the mayor of Central Falls, Rhode Island, from 2013 to 2020.
Gregg Amore
Following scoring a victory in the midterm election cycle, Secretary of Point out Gregg Amore was issue to some whispers of speculation that he might seek out the governorship at some position down the line. He is new to the secretary of point out publish, but he served in the point out legislature for approximately a ten years.
The Fungs
Countrywide Republicans eyed Rhode Island’s 2nd District seat with careful optimism for the duration of the midterm elections, observing no matter whether previous Cranston Mayor Allan Fung could pull off an upset victory in the Democratic stronghold. He finally misplaced to Magaziner.
But Fung or his spouse, Barbara Fenton-Fung, a climbing GOP star in the point out legislature, could theoretically pull a reverse Magaziner and consider once more. The significant hurdle is that the 1st District normally leans a further blue than the 2nd District he misplaced in the 2022 cycle.
Jessica de la Cruz
When Langevin’s seat opened up, Jessica de la Cruz jumped into the fray prior to backing out a thirty day period later on amid rigid opposition from Fung, whom she endorsed. Presently serving as the Rhode Island Senate’s minority chief, de la Cruz life in the 1st District.
A operate to fill Cicilline’s would most likely deal with even much more of an uphill struggle than what Fung endured in 2022.
Political winds can change rapidly in the Ocean Point out. In advance of the 2022 cycle, there was rampant speculation that Cicilline and Langevin have been poised for a collision system owing to the prospect of the census fallout stripping a seat from the point out.
Finally, that destiny was averted, and shortly, neither will be in the congressional halls. It is not still crystal clear when the particular election race will just take area.
