Cicilline discusses Congressional campaign with EDGE
Providence's openly gay mayor has been in office for the last seven years, but his eyes are now set on Capitol Hill.
David Cicilline is one of the contenders seeking to represent the state's First Congressional District in Washington. The openly gay Cicilline announced his candidacy on Feb. 13 to succeed Congressman Patrick Kennedy, son of the late U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy [D-Mass.] The younger Kennedy announced he would not seek re-election after 15 years in Congress.
Cicilline, 48, will square off against William Lynch for the Democratic nomination. Lynch's brother, state Attorney General Patrick Lynch, is running for governor.
Whoever wins the primary will face off against state Rep. John Loughlin [R-Little Compton.]
In a March 2009 interview, Cicilline boasted of the reduction in the city's crime rate, the restoration of integrity to city government, his ability to attract new business investment to Providence and the improved quality of the city's schools under his mayoralty.
"With all that progress, I also know there's a lot more work to do," Cicilline said. "I just didn't believe it was the right time to change jobs and seek another position. Instead I wanted to finish the work we started."
The son of a Jewish mother and an Italian farther, Cicilline remains one of the country's most prominent openly gay elected officials.
He went to Brown University, where he established a College Democrats chapter with John F. Kennedy, Jr., and then to law school at Georgetown University. Cicilline also worked briefly in the District of Columbia's public defender's office before he returned to Rhode Island to open his own lucrative criminal-defense practice. Cicilline settled into a home on Providence's posh East Side and drove a Rolls Royce around town.
Cicilline's political career began in 1994 with his election to the state House of Representatives. He staked out liberal positions on civil rights, abortion, gay rights and gun control. And Cicilline came out in 1999.
"Being openly gay has had no negative effect on my political career," he said in a 2002 interview. "If anything, it's enhanced it, because people respect my honesty about it."
Cicilline succeeded the flamboyant Vincent "Buddy" Cianci after his conviction in the Operation Plunder Dome case in 2002, but flash forward to 2010: the state continues to reel from record unemployment. Cicilline stressed the plight of middle class Rhode Islanders prompted him to seek higher office.
"It is clear to me that Washington has lost sight of what hardworking, middle class families are going through in this country," he told EDGE. "There is a dangerous disconnect between what is happening to families living in cities and towns in Rhode Island and all across this country and what Washington is doing about it. We need someone who can provide practical solutions to the real problems facing families and work to develop solutions that improve people's lives."
Cicilline added he believes voters are fed up with "partisan posturing" and want a representative who will work to solve massive unemployment, a record number of foreclosures, health care and other problems. And he said his sexual orientation will not impede his campaign.
"I think the voters in this state have proved time and time again that they make judgments based on a candidate's ability and vision and ideas and commitment and integrity," Ciiclline said. "Sexual orientation is irrelevant to voters in this state."
Cicilline said LGBT activists must remain vigilant in their efforts to secure equal rights at the federal level.
"I think it's important that we continue to work very hard and vigorously to advance equality for our community," he said, referring to efforts underway to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and the passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.
Cicilline acknowledged frustration regarding these issues, but noted activists need to continue to pressure legislators to take action. He said the White House has demonstrated a genuine commitment to LGBT issues.
"I do know the administration has made significant progress on issues important to our community," Cicilline said. "There's certainly much more to be done and I think we're going to see continued progress over the coming year."
If elected, Cicilline would join U.S. Reps. Tammy Baldwin [D-Wis.,] Barney Frank [D-Mass.] and Jared Polis [D-Colo.] as Congress' only openly gay members.
Looking back, Cicilline said the best part of his mayoralty was the ability to have a direct impact on people's lives, such as instituting a community policing program, working to strengthen public education, and meeting with residents to discuss how to improve the quality of life in the city. He was quick to note, however, he remains determined going into November.
"I'm going to work really hard so I will be successful," he said.