Former Cranston Mayor Allan Fung seeks congressional seat

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Former Cranston, R.I., Mayor Allan Fung waits to be introduced at his campaign kickoff event, Tuesday, April 26, 2022, at the Varnum Memorial Armory in East Greenwich, R.I. Fung, a two-time Republican gubernatorial candidate in Rhode Island, is running for the state’s seat in Congress being vacated by Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

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Former Cranston, R.I., Mayor Allan Fung speaks at his campaign kickoff event, Tuesday, April 26, 2022, at the Varnum Memorial Armory in East Greenwich, R.I. Fung, a two-time Republican gubernatorial candidate in Rhode Island, is running for the state’s seat in Congress being vacated by Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

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Former Cranston, R.I., Mayor Allan Fung greets supporters at his campaign kickoff event, Tuesday, April 26, 2022, at the Varnum Memorial Armory in East Greenwich, R.I. Fung, a two-time Republican gubernatorial candidate in Rhode Island, is running for the state’s seat in Congress being vacated by Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

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EAST GREENWICH, R.I. (AP) — Former Cranston Mayor Allan Fung officially launched his campaign Tuesday for the state’s seat in Congress being vacated by Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin.

Fung, a two-time Republican gubernatorial candidate in Rhode Island, said he’d help end hyper-partisan politics as part of a “new wave of leaders” laser-focused on solving problems.

Fung chose the Varnum Memorial Armory in East Greenwich for his campaign kickoff. He said in his prepared remarks he worked across party lines in Cranston to transform a city that was once on the brink of financial ruin. He said he wants to bring what worked in Cranston to the Capitol.

Fung ran twice unsuccessfully for governor — both times against Democrat Gina Raimondo, now U.S. commerce secretary. Langevin announced Jan. 18 he wouldn’t seek reelection after representing the district covering western Rhode Island since 2001.

Former Republican state Rep. Robert Lancia is also seeking the GOP nomination. Republican state Sen. Jessica de la Cruz dropped out earlier this month and endorsed Fung.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee called Fung a “Trump supporter and enabler” who would help Republicans “hell-bent on attacking our schools, criminalizing abortion, and violently overthrowing elections.”

When asked for comment, Fung’s campaign said his kickoff speech is his response. Fung said in the speech that he’d focus on energy independence, tackle “uncontrolled inflation” by putting a stop to “the insane progressive spending,” and stand up for law enforcement and the rule of law.

The crowded Democrat field includes state Treasurer Seth Magaziner; Joy Fox, a former top aide to Langevin; Biden administration official Sarah Morgenthau; Omar Bah, executive director of The Refugee Dream Center in Providence; former political strategist Michael Neary and former state lawmaker David Segal.