By Tessa Roy, WPRO News

Following her endorsement of independent candidate Joe Trillo for governor, the House Republican caucus voted to immediately remove Representative Patricia Morgan as its leader. Morgan, who ran an unsuccessful bid for governor, will remain a member of the caucus until her term ends this year, and the Minority Leader position will be vacant until after this year’s general election.

“The most important thing for the State of Rhode Island is to elect more Republicans to the General Assembly, and having a House Republican leader endorse an Independent for Governor inhibited that,” said House Minority Whip Blake Filippi.

Filippi declined to say how many of the 11 House Republicans voted to oust Morgan as leader, saying the caucus does not discuss internal votes. He said he’s been one of Morgan’s biggest supporters and that his opinion of her as a “wonderful person” and a “tough leader” has not changed, but some members of the caucus felt she made a mistake by endorsing Trillo.

“To have our Minority Leader endorse an independent, I think most of us felt that was hurting our efforts to get more Republicans elected to the General Assembly,” he said.

Filippi himself has been in talks to become the next Minority leader. Asked if he was vying for the post, he said it’s up to the caucus to decide, plus the members of next year’s caucus are yet to be determined by the upcoming election.

Morgan did not immediately return a request for comment.