The LGBTQ Victory Fund is calling on Rhode Island Lt. Gov. Dan McKee to name former State Senator Donna Nesselbush, an out lesbian, to replace him as he moves into his new job as governor. If McKee appoints her, Nesselbush would become Rhode Island’s first openly LGBTQ statewide official.
Earlier this week, the US Senate overwhelmingly confirmed (85-15) Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo to become the next US Commerce Secretary, and with McKee stepping into Raimondo’s role, that leaves McKee’s position open.
McKee’s transition team has identified Nesselbush, among others, as a qualified candidate for the job, and the state senate approved her nomination. The LGBTQ Victory Fund swiftly sent McKee a letter endorsing Nesselbush.
“We are writing to you today because through your appointment of Rhode Island‘s next Lieutenant Governor, you have the opportunity to make history by appointing Rhode Island‘s first, openly gay statewide office holder. In fact, Rhode Island is the only state in New England that has not yet had an openly LGBTQ statewide official,” the letter states.
Nesselbush has the credentials for the job, reports MetroWeekly:
Nesselbush, a five-term state senator who now serves as a municipal judge for the city of Pawtucket, R.I., has amassed a long resumé of accomplishments following her graduation from Brown University in 1984. She served as the executive director of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence for seven years before earning a law degree from Suffolk University.
A previous David Bohnett LGBTQ Victory Institute Leadership Fellow, Nesselbush established herself as a prominent figure within the State Senate, most notably shepherding through a bill to legalize marriage equality in the Ocean State in 2013. She has also been a strong advocate for victims of domestic abuse, women’s rights, and stronger social safety net protections for Rhode Islanders.
McKee, a conservative Democrat who previously served as mayor of Cumberland, R.I., draws much of his political strength from the Blackstone Valley region of the state and the first-ring suburbs of Providence. But he has faced some political pressure to name a lieutenant governor who is outside of his inner circle, and some community groups have called on him to name a woman or a person of color.
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