When Bob Lancia was in the Rhode Island General Assembly, he was a member of a group that was dubbed “The Gang of Five.” This was a group of representatives from across the political spectrum that worked toward common goals.
“We got stuff done,” said Lancia. “You need to reach across the aisles.”
Lancia, a Republican, wants to bring his abilities to do that to the U.S. House of Representatives, and it’s one of the reasons why he is running for the Rhode Island Second Congressional District seat that Democrat Jim Langevin now holds. Lancia represented the city of Cranston in the General Assembly for four years. He has been a Navy chaplain who served all over the world, worked in state government in the Division of Taxation and is currently an elementary school substitute teacher.
His primary goal, Lancia said, is first to “retire” Langevin at the polls and to straighten out the country’s finances. He would also propose term limits for members of both the House and the Senate and look at the efficacy of some federal agencies, such as the Department of Education.
“We’re in a mess, financially,” said Lancia, 66, during an interview at