Rhode Island's Governor Transition Already Underway

PROVIDENCE, RI — Just one day after it was announced that Gov. Gina Raimondo was President-elect Joe Biden's pick for Commerce Secretary, the wheels are already turning in Rhode Island ahead of the gubernatorial transition of power. Lt. Gov. Dan McKee is poised to take the state's top job after Raimondo moves to her new role.

McKee and Raimondo spoke over the phone Thursday and agreed that it was "crucial" for the state's coronavirus response to experience as few interruptions as possible.

"We discussed the importance of a smooth transition," McKee said in a statement. "Gov. Raimondo and I agreed that it is in the best interest of Rhode Island that the team leading our state's COVID response remains in place throughout the pandemic as we distribute the vaccine and continue Rhode Island's robust response."

Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, the director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, said she is fully confident in McKee's ability to smoothly transition into the role.

"Our COVID-19 response will not skip a beat," Alexander-Scott said, adding that McKee has a "commitment to continuity." "Everyone knows how strong our team has been ... he understands that, and he's committed to continuing that progress."

With McKee's promotion to governor, his position as lieutenant governor will subsequently be left empty. It's unclear who will take up that mantle at this time, though several state lawmakers have offered their input.

Pawtucket Rep. Karen Alzate is calling for McKee to appoint former Central Falls Mayor James Diossa to the position.

"Once Lt. Governor McKee assumes the role of governor, he has an important decision to make about who will replace him as the state’s new lieutenant governor and I firmly believe the best choice for our state is former Central Falls Mayor James Diossa," Alzate said. "I have known James for decades and since becoming a state representative, I have worked closely with him and his administration for the betterment of the Pawtucket and Central Falls region of our state ... James Diossa possesses the knowledge, leadership, and dedication to serve the people of Rhode Island as their new lieutenant governor."

With the vacancy imminent, Rep. Arthur Corvese filed legislation to clear up the procedure for filling a lieutenant governor vacancy. While a state law is in place for the entire House of Representatives and Senate to elect a replacement lieutenant governor-elect should they become unable to serve, the same procedure is not in place for a sitting lieutenant governor.

"The fact is, neither the Rhode Island Constitution nor the General Laws say what is supposed to happen if the lieutenant governor leaves office," Corvese said. "There’s a provision for all the other general officers. There’s a law that says what to do if a lieutenant governor-elect can’t serve. There’s even a law that describes what to do if both the governor and the lieutenant governor are both vacant at once, but there is no law that applies just to a vacancy in the lieutenant governor’s office. In every one of those cases, the law says the General Assembly in Grand Committee is to elect a successor, so my bill enacts the same process for a vacancy of the lieutenant governor."