POLL: Openly Gay RI Congressman Likely To Lose Seat

There is very bad news for the re-election prospects of Freshman Democratic Congressman David Cicilline of Rhode Island, the fourth openly gay member of the 112th Congress in a new poll released by WPRI.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - Congressman David Cicilline is headed for a double-digit defeat at the hands of Republican Brendan Doherty unless he finds a way to win back a large number of voters by November, according to an exclusive WPRI 12 poll released Monday evening.

The new survey of 250 registered voters in Rhode Island's 1st Congressional District shows Doherty, a former state police superintendent, would defeat Cicilline 49% to 34%, with 16% of voters undecided. Doherty's lead over Cicilline has grown by two points since the last WPRI 12 poll in May.

It's not clear that the sexual orientation of Cicilline is what is causing his political difficulties. He seems to be instead suffering an extreme backlash from a scandal which occurred when he was the Mayor of Providence, R.I.