PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island voters will be returning to the polls sooner than planned, though the specific date is unconfirmed.
Moments after Rep. David Cicilline announced he would leave his 1st Congressional District seat in Washington on June 1 to head the nonprofit Rhode Island Foundation, speculation emerged over who will succeed the Democrat and when that special election will be held.
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The constitutional process that is spelled out in state law will not begin until he officially resigns his 1st Congressional District seat on June 1.
John Marion, executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island, said the date of the special election depends on McKee. He said the governor could wait until June 1 when Cicilline officially resigns or announce the date for the special election beforehand.
“The latter could be announced soon,” he said. “Or [McKee] could wait until the resignation is effective.”
Faith Chybowski, spokesperson for R.I. Secretary of State Gregg Amore, said the planning process will not begin until after Gov. Daniel J. McKee calls for a special election.
“There has to be a vacancy,” she said.
Under Rhode Island General Law, when an off-year federal vacancy occurs, “the governor shall immediately issue his or her writ of election directed to the several city and town clerks, or local boards as the case may be, ordering a new election of the representative in congress to be held in that district to fill the vacancy, at as early a date, to be stated in the writ, as will be in compliance with the provisions of law in relation to these elections.”
The law goes on to say the special election “shall be held on any day other than the first Tuesday next after the first Monday of any month.”
A request for potential dates for the special election sent to a McKee spokesperson was not immediately returned.
Prospective candidates seeking to represent Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District wasted no time in testing the political waters.
In the wake of Cicilline’s announcement, Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera said she is exploring a run.
“Over the coming days, I will be speaking with my friends, family, and colleagues about my future and the need for Rhode Island to continue to have a strong, bold, Democratic voice in D.C.,” she said.
Meanwhile, state Sen. Meghan E. Kallman, D-Pawtucket, announced Tuesday on Twitter that she was also mulling a run for Congress.
“We can’t afford for that seat not to be held by a steadfast advocate for the people,” she said.
Wendy Schiller, professor of political science at Brown University told Providence Business News that Cicilline’s departure “will leave big shoes to fill.”
“Rhode Island will lose a nationally prominent advocate on key issues such as infrastructure, Social Security and Medicare, addressing gun violence and civil rights,” she said.
Cicilline told PBN Tuesday that he did not initially apply for the Rhode Island Foundation job, nor did he seek out. Cicilline said he was approached by a search firm hired by the foundation to find Steinberg’s replacement a month after he was reelected this past November. He soundly defeated Republican challenger Allen R. Waters in November 64% to 35.8%.
He said he met with foundation officials “out of respect” for the organization and its work within the state. After conversations between the foundation and Cicilline, the foundation’s board to unanimously appoint Cicilline as the organization’s new top executive, the congressman said.
When asked why his focus shifted from elective office to the nonprofit sector, Cicilline said his certainty that his new role as the foundation’s CEO and president would have a “greater impact on the lives of Rhode Islanders” than what he could accomplish in the U.S. House over the next several years.
Cicilline denied that the Democrats losing majority control of the House provided an incentive to leave, saying that Congress had the “most productive” session it had during his tenure, between the response to COVID-19 and the passage of an infrastructure bill. However, Cicilline said the early days of the new Congress session have made it clear that getting things done would be “difficult.”
“Once I became more familiar with the work the foundation is doing and the resources that are available, it was very clear to me that I could make the greatest impact in improving lives of Rhode Islanders through leading this foundation,” he said.
Cicilline said that because the foundation is considered “nonpartisan,” he will not involve himself in the upcoming special election for the 1st District seat in any capacity. Cicilline also does not feel his constituents who supported his campaigns, including this past year’s, will be let down by him stepping away from office after being elected again. He said he’s grateful for the support from constituents.
“I see this as service in a different place,” Cicilline said. “I think my constituents trust my judgment that I can get more done and make life better for Rhode Islanders in this new role and that they would understand that I would take that opportunity.”
(Update: Adds comments from Cicilline in paragraphs 18 to 24.)
With reports from PBN Special Projects Editor James Bessette.
Christopher Allen is a PBN staff writer. You may contact him at Allen@PBN.com
Rhode Island has had distinguished representation in the US congress and pulls outside its political weight because it has not favored “identity” based candidates, but rather the election of candidates possessing impressive educational and work credentials in addition to a visionary focus that promotes policies serving all the people, not just special interests.