PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island GOP Chairwoman Sue Cienki will not seek reelection to another two-year term as head of the state’s Republican party.
Cienki, who served two terms as state GOP chairwoman, will instead run for Rhode Island National Republican committeewoman, a seat currently held by Lee Ann Sennick, who is departing early to take a position as communication director for the state Senate Minority Office.
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An attorney and former East Greenwich Town Council member, Cienki said it was time to move on, noting the average tenure of state party chairs is usually between one year and 18 months.
“It’s a lot of work,” she said. “I came in trying to improve the infrastructure of the party. We raised a lot of money and had more candidates than we ever had.”
While still solidly controlled by Democrats at the state level, Cienki believes the state’s Republican party has made headway during the past two election cycles on the local level, with many members securing seats on town councils and school committees.
“We had a lot of first-time candidates. We created a farm team in some areas,” she said. “And that is what we need to continue to do. When I first came in, I said this would not be an overnight success.”
The national committee, on which Cienki was already serving as state GOP chairwoman, works with party delegates to navigate national convention rules, helps candidates with ballot access, assists with fundraising campaigns and the coordination of political platforms and election strategies.
On Thursday, Charles Calenda, a trial attorney and 2022 candidate for Attorney General who previously spent twelve years as a state prosecutor, announced he would be running for RIGOP chair.
In a statement Thursday, Calenda said he wants to “strengthen our grassroots support across Rhode Island” and “hold Democrats accountable for their disastrous policies.”
“I understand firsthand the challenges candidates face. Especially in states like Rhode Island,” he said. “Now, more than ever, we need a strong Republican Party to challenge the extreme polices coming out of Smith Hill.”
Cienki will not endorse a replacement but said she will make herself available during the transition to whomever gets elected. The RIGOP central committee, made up of representatives from all 39 cities and towns, is set to elect the next chair during its convention scheduled for March 25.
Hoping Republicans will continue to prioritize “pragmatic” issues such as public education curriculum, inflation and public safety, Cienki predicts the party will make further inroads both in Rhode Island and nationwide.
“You have to start talking about issues that matter to people,” she said. “They shouldn’t be partisan. It’s about showing [unconvinced voters] how maybe they should start listening to the other side.”
Christopher Allen is a PBN staff writer. You may contact him at Allen@PBN.com
