Rhode Island: Governor Signs New Map Boosting Cicilline

Rep. David Cicilline is expected to have a difficult re-election race. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)
Rep. David Cicilline is expected to have a difficult re-election race. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)
By Abby Livingston
Posted February 8, 2012 at 5:17pm

Gov. Lincoln Chafee (I)  signed into law today the redistricting plan that Rhode Island’s Legislature passed last week.

Rep. David Cicilline (D) is the big winner under the new map. It is anticipated that he will have a tough re-election race this cycle, but his redrawn district shifts Democratic voters from fellow Democratic Rep. James Langevin’s 2nd district into Cicilline’s 1st district.

The map that was signed into law today was the same map the Rhode Island Redistricting Commission recommended to the state Legislature in December.

In the fall, the discussion about shifting voters was a source of tension between the two men.