Pacheco suspends congressional campaign

PROVIDENCE – Just two months into his campaign for Rep. James R. Langevin’s soon-to-be-vacant 2nd District seat in the U.S. House, Edwin R. Pacheco announced Tuesday that he is suspending his campaign.

Pacheco, the former R.I. Democratic Party chairman who is currently the interim executive director of external relations and communications at Rhode Island College, was the first candidate from either party to announce his quest for Congress. Now, he is the first candidate to exit the race.

In a statement, Pacheco said he’s suspending his Congressional run because he concluded that it would be “extraordinarily difficult” to raise money for his campaign in this election cycle given the amount of resources needed to run a competitive campaign.

“This experience signals for me the need for campaign finance reform, leveling the playing field for everyday Americans to participate in our Democracy,” Pacheco said. “Rhode Island’s future is bright because of its amazing people. Our strength comes from empowering each other and ensuring that future generations have more opportunities than the last.”

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Pacheco said he still plans to do his part to send a Democratic candidate to Congress representing Rhode Island, and looks forward to continuing to “advocate for the issues that motivated me to consider running for Congress in the first place.”

The remaining Democratic candidates in the race are R.I. Treasurer Seth Magaziner; Sarah Morgenthau, a current deputy assistant secretary for travel and tourism with the U.S. Department of Commerce; Michael Neary, a former advocate for Ohio Gov. and 2016 presidential candidate John Kasich; Clarendon Group CEO and past Gov. Gina M. Raimondo communications director Joy E. Fox; and Refugee Dream Center Founder Omar Bah.

On the Republican side, Sen. Jessica de la Cruz, R-Glocester, former Cranston Mayor Allan W. Fung and past congressional candidate Robert Lancia are also seeking Langevin’s seat.

James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.

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