At a time when every House seat counts, a Democrat in a safe seat in Rhode Island, David Cicilline, announced this morning he will resign his seat June 1 to become the CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation.
Under Rhode Island law, the governor will set a date for a special election; the state has no major elections coming up in November.
Cicilline’s Rhode Island seat is likely to be vacant for at least a little while. There are currently 222 House Republicans, 212 House Democrats, and one vacancy. Today voters in Virginia’s heavily-Democratic-leaning fourth congressional district will select the replacement for the late Donald McEachin.
Democrats may be grumbling, wondering why Cicilline couldn’t have arranged to head up that foundation before last Election Day. Meanwhile, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy should send Cicilline a fruit basket or something.