Providence Mayor David Cicilline is
closer to becoming the fourth openly gay member of Congress after
winning the Democratic nomination to represent Rhode Island's 1st
Congressional District.
Cicilline beat out former state party
Chairman Bill Lynch, businessman Anthony Gemma and state Rep. David
Segal for the nomination.
A jubilant Cicilline was declared the
winner by news outlets shortly before 10PM. He now will face
Republican John Loughlin in the race to succeed Rep. Patrick Kennedy,
who abruptly retired from Congress earlier this year.
The 48-year-old Cicilline, who has
served two terms as mayor of Providence, enjoys the endorsement of
the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, a group that supports openly gay
elected officials, and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's
largest gay rights advocate.
“Adding more authentic LGBT voices to
Congress is a Victory Fund priority, and Mayor Cicilline's win
tonight puts us one giant step closer to doing just that,” Chuck
Wolfe, president and CEO of the Victory Fund, said in a statement.
HRC President Joe Solmonese cheered
Cicilline's win.
“We are thrilled that David Cicilline
has advanced to the general election,” he said in a statement. “He
has proven himself as a state senator and strong mayor and will no
doubt be an active and effective congressman in promoting equality
for all people.”
Denis Dison, a Victory Fund vice
president, told On Top Magazine that the increasing numbers of
openly gay elected officials is slowly changing the political
landscape.
“Every year more and more brave
people are stepping up to run for office while being honest about who
they are,” Dison said. “That's going to change politics in
America.”
If elected, Cicilline would join three
openly gay incumbent representatives – Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin,
Barney Frank of Massachusetts and Jared Polis of Colorado – who are
expected to keep their seats. An openly gay family man, Steve
Pougnet, is challenging Republican Rep. Mary Bono Mack in
California.