PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Having survived his own reelection battle, House Speaker Gordon Fox has called House Democrats to a closed-door caucus Friday night, at the Asian Palace restaurant.
He is expected to ask his fellow Democrats to endorse his reelection as speaker, when the General Assembly opens in January, and elect a leadership team for 2013-14 that includes new roles for Reps. Stephen Ucci, D-Johnston, Christopher Blazejewski, D-Providence, and Donald Lally, D-Narragansett, along with the reelection of Rep. Nicholas Mattiello, D-Cranston, as House majority leader.
Ucci is viewed as a front-runner to replace Rep. J. Patrick O'Neill, D-Pawtucket, as the majority whip. O'Neill resigned the post.
The Democrats will gather at the North Main Street restaurant about 6:30 p.m. for dinner, and then vote about 7:30 p.m., according to a House spokesman.