Dennigan leaves RI State House to run for Congress

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I.—Rhode Island state Rep. Elizabeth Dennigan has resigned her seat as she prepares to run for Congress.

The Democrat has served in the General Assembly for 13 years.

She is challenging U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin, a five-term incumbent, in next year’s congressional elections.

Dennigan said in a statement Thursday that she wanted to step down immediately so that a successor can be elected before the start of the next legislative session in January.

Dennigan lists her primary address in East Providence, outside of Langevin’s district, but has said she plans to relocate to a second home in Narragansett inside the district.

Dennigan was first elected to the General Assembly in 1996 and serves on the House Finance Committee, which shapes Rhode Island’s state budget.