Shekarchi Resigns as Speaker, Seeking Appointment to the Supreme Court

Shekarchi Resigns as Speaker, Seeking Appointment to the Supreme Court

Speaker of the House Joseph Shekarchi is resigning from his leadership position.

The Speakership is arguably the most powerful position in Rhode Island politics. 

According to multiple sources with direct knowledge, Shekarchi is turning over the gavel.

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Majority leader Christopher R. Blazejewski is the likely successor.  He has been calling members of the House on Wednesday afternoon, asking for their support.

Speakers are elected by the full House of Representatives.

Shekarchi, who flirted with running for governor, decided not to run and pivoted to seeking an appointment to the Rhode Island Supreme Court.

A vacancy emerged last month. On February 12, Supreme Court Justice Maureen McKenna Goldberg informed Governor Dan McKee that she is stepping down from the Rhode Island Supreme Court. Shekarchi completed his application this past week and will submit it for consideration.

 

Shekarchi, a Political Player for Decades

Shekarchi first served as an aide to Governor Bruce Sundlun. In 2010, he was the architect of a little-known Gina Raimondo’s run for General Treasurer.

Four years later, he chaired the transition team for newly elected Governor Gina Raimondo. He negotiated the deal for Raimondo, who made the former Cranston public works director the director of the RI Department of Transportation in exchange for support from the Laborers’ International Union.

In 2012, Shekarchi ran for the House of Representatives and won easily. Since then, he has grown in power and influence.

First rising to serve as the Majority Leader of the House in 2016. Then, in 2021, Shekarchi took over as Speaker of the House when Nick Mattiello was defeated in his reelection bid in November of 2020.

Since then, Shekarchi has consolidated power, and his "open door" policy has been popular with members.

He has been a fundraising machine. His campaign account has a balance of $4,727,989.45

Also, Shekarchi controls the Rhode Island Good Government PAC that has a balance of $444,000 as of December 31, 2025.