Democrat Rep Announces Unexpected Departure from Congress, Will Trigger Special Election

In a surprise move, a longtime Democratic congressman has decided to call it quits midterm to pursue a new endeavor.

Rep. David Cicilline, who was elected to a seventh term in November, announced in a news release Tuesday that he is stepping down to become CEO of the nonprofit Rhode Island Foundation.

The release said the congressman would be resigning his seat effective June 1, which will trigger a special election to replace him, according to The Providence Journal.

“Serving the people of Rhode Island’s First Congressional District has been the honor of my lifetime,” Cicilline said in a statement.

“As President and CEO of one of the largest and oldest community foundations in the nation, I look forward to expanding on the work I have led for nearly thirty years in helping to improve the lives of all Rhode Islanders,” he said.

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Cicilline has long been involved in Rhode Island politics. In 2003, the Democrat became the first openly gay mayor of a state capital when he assumed that post in Providence.

He has represented the state’s 1st Congressional District since 2011, winning more than 60 percent of the vote in last year’s midterm elections, according to the Journal.

“The chance to lead the Rhode Island Foundation was unexpected, but it is an extraordinary opportunity to have an even more direct and meaningful impact on the lives of residents of our state,” he said in his statement.

The liberal lawmaker vowed to “ensure all Rhode Islanders can achieve economic security, access quality, affordable healthcare, and attain the education and training that will set them on a path to prosperity” in his new position.

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G. Alan Kurose, chairman of the foundation’s board of directors, explained in a news release Tuesday why he believes Cicilline is the right man for the job.

“David’s skills and values fit perfectly with those of the Rhode Island Foundation — he is committed to meeting the needs of all Rhode Islanders and has…

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