Republican Lancia bows out, clearing GOP field for Fung in 2nd Congressional District race

PROVIDENCE — Former state Rep. Bob Lancia is pulling out of the race for Rhode Island's 2nd Congressional District seat, clearing the Republican field for the front-runner: former Cranston Mayor and two-time candidate for governor Allan Fung.

"I have made the hardest decision of my life and decided that this time in history is not ... the right time for me. Therefore, I will not be continuing my campaign for the Rhode Island Congressional District 2 seat," Lancia said Wednesday, just ahead of the 4 p.m. candidate filing deadline.

The announcement followed several days of efforts by state GOP leaders to convince him to exit the race based, in part, on recent polling showing Fung with a substantial lead.

As state GOP Chairwoman Sue Cienki explained earlier this week, it all boils down to money.

"There are some organizations, some PACs, [only] willing to give candidates money if there is no primary,'' so "if there is a clear lane, the money starts flowing," she said, naming the national Republican Party and the GOP's congressional campaign arm as examples.

And if it doesn't, she said, that's "a problem for us because our [Sept. 13] primary is so late" in the election year.

In a statement out Wednesday, Lancia – who really never stopped running after losing his first campaign for the seat in 2020 – said:

"The past three years running for the Rhode Island Congressional District 2 office has truly been an honor and such a pleasure meeting so many Rhode Islanders in my efforts to be an effective voice for the people."

But, "in politics, a day of [reckoning] always comes and this week has been the time for reflection to decide what is best for my supporters, my well-wishers, the citizens of District 2, my wife Maryann, and the Republican Party as well."

He said he made his decision after "asking the good Lord for guidance, talking life decisions over with my wife, national supporters, as well as with the Rhode Island Republican Party leadership."

"I know many of my supporters will be shocked, disappointed and some even heartbroken over this decision.

Promising to stay engaged in politics in some way, he said: "We, as America First Patriots, must stay engaged and ensure that, as the Republican Party and its candidates move forward, they all do so with Constitutional purpose and ensuring the integrity of the election system."

"I look forward to helping elect Republicans up and down the ticket this November."

When Lancia went to sleep on election night 2020, he was "winning" in his bid to unseat Democratic Congressman Jim Langevin. By the time Lancia woke up, the mail ballot count had given Langevin the win.

Lancia publicly questioned the 58.2%-to-41.5% outcome then.

And, that is still "a bitter pill for him. There is still something he feels wasn't right," his campaign manager, Ray McKay, said Tuesday.

Lancia, 68, was until Wednesday running for the 2nd Congressional District seat again, and McKay confirmed efforts by GOP insiders to convince him to exit the race to clear the field for Fung.

The efforts picked up steam after the release Monday of a Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll that showed Fung leading Lancia 66.6% to 14.7% and well positioned to beat every one of the Democrats in the race.

Digging deeper: U.S. Census Bureau error may have helped Rhode Island keep its 2nd Congressional seat

At last report, Fung was also well ahead in fundraising, having raised $502,000 in the first quarter and loaned his campaign $50,000. By way of comparison, Lancia – who was already running when Langevin announced his retirement – had raised $11,000 in the first quarter and $26,000 for this cycle.

But on the day before the state Republican Party endorsement convention on Wednesday, Cienki confirmed: "Negotiations continue about what's going on."

Poll: Gorbea leads in RI governor's race; Fung could swing congressional seat red

Following the money: Magaziner, Fung lead in Second Congressional District fundraising

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI GOP trying to make sure Allan Fung faces no primary contest