Cicilline Wins Rhode Island Primary

David Cicilline, the gay mayor of Providence, R.I., won the Democratic primary Tuesday -- and is now the front-runner--in the race to replace the retiring representative Patrick Kennedy in Congress. If successful, Cicilline will join three current openly gay members of Congress.

Cicilline, who won more than a third of the vote in a four-way race, now faces independents Kenneth Cabalbo and Gregory Raposa along with Republican John J. Loughlin II. Loughlin, a state representative, poses the toughest competition, The Providence Journal reports. "If Loughlin is able to nationalize the election and talk about the disappointment that people feel about the Democratic agenda in Congress, if he can do that I think he could be competitive," University of Rhode Island poltical science professor Maureen Moakley told the paper.

Cicilline is pictured above at center with campaign manager Eric Hyers and Victory Fund CEO Chuck Wolfe.