Yorke: Let's expedite the transition to new congressional representation

He has climbed the Democratic party ranks in Washington and his incumbency would only have been disrupted by a personal crime.

It is the second and final blow to Rhode Island’s stature in the House. His counterpart, second district Congressman Jim Langevin, did it the right way, announcing his retirement in sync with the last election cycle, creating an empty seat and a general election thriller between the eventual winner, former State Treasurer Seth Magaziner, and former Cranston Mayor Allan Fung.

The state soon will go from punching over its Washington weight to the back of the line, two seasoned pros replaced by two rookies, the first in Magaziner and the second to be determined.

Ironically, last year there was anxiety over a potential census-driven face-off between the two veterans. Rhode Island survived the count, and now they’re both elected history.

So, what to think about this bombshell Cicilline decision?

It’s America. He’s free to pursue his own life path, liberty and happiness.

The Rhode Island Foundation is free to pursue its replacement for its outgoing president and CEO, Neil Steinberg, who leaves the organization in a seemingly better place than he found it after 16 years. He gave a very respectful one-year notice and says he had no role in the replacement, the board leaning on a professional search firm to do that work.

But c’mon, the foundation didn’t have to do this.

Reportedly it sought the congressman’s “unsolicited” interest with a murky timetable, knowing full well a major disruption would come to the state’s political system and send the state southward in terms of Washington equity.

More concerned with creating its own splash, the organization’s hope is that the soon-to-be-former congressman’s leadership creates a spike in the already impressive annual nearly $100 million raised and $80 million philanthropically spent.

Time will tell on the transition from fiercely public partisan to cautious private impartiality.

Cicilline, now in the more difficult minority, leaves on a selfish timetable, giving notice through the end of May, seamlessly moving from his $177,000 public job to the June 1 start of his $650,000 base private sector gig.

And nobody in local politics or media says “boo.”

But because of this schedule, the earliest possible special election to replace the congressman will take place with a primary in late summer or fall, and likely anticlimactic November general.

Summer apathy creates a low turnout, ripe for a bullet vote.

Sure, there’s more time for the potential candidates to “decide and fundraise.” That’s a lazy theory. Those who can and will run knew 10 minutes after the announcement.

Secretary of State Gregg Amore says he could execute a primary in May and a special election in June if Cicilline, who isn’t going to cast any deciding votes and whose constituent services office remains in place, leaves now.

With two-year terms, time is of the essence.

The foundation and Cicilline need to get out of their own self-conscious worlds and expedite the district’s next chapter, minimizing the damage they have already done to the people.

Dan Yorke is the PM Drive Host on 99.7/AM 630 WPRO, Dan Yorke State of Mind weekends on Fox Providence/WPRI 12 and owns communications/crisis consulting firm DYCOMM LLC.