Gay House Speaker Set for Rhode Island

Rep. Gordon D. Fox, a gay man, is set to become the new speaker of the Rhode Island house of representatives, having secured enough votes from colleagues to be elected to the powerful position.

GayPolitics.com reports via The Providence Journal, which says that Fox has lined up 53 votes, 15 more than the simple majority he needs. The current speaker, William Murphy, plans to step down Thursday and support Fox, an attorney from Providence.

"If all goes according to plan, the Democrats will choose Fox to be the next speaker and will also back his selections for a new leadership team in the positions of majority leader, majority whip, speaker pro tem, deputy whip and deputy majority leader," reports the Journal.

"Only the speaker's position needs approval from the full House, but with Democrats holding 69 of 75 seats, it's a foregone conclusion that whomever the party chooses will be the next speaker."