Cicilline ran in the primary election against Christopher Young. During the campaign, both Young and Cicilline's Republican opponent, Patrick Donovan, criticized Cicilline's behavior at the hearing of Peter Strzok. Young said that Cicilline was “screaming like a lunatic.” Donovan commented that, “What Mr. Cicilline did in the hearing was childish. To be yelling like that is not part of what he’s supposed to be doing representing our interests down in Washington.” Cicilline defeated Young in the primary election with 78% of the vote.