By Katherine Gregg

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Retired Superior Court Judge Mark Pfeiffer is mulling a possible Republican run for the 1st Congressional District seat opened by Democrat Patrick J. Kennedy's decision not to seek reelection.

Pfeiffer served on the court from October 1988 until March 2009, when he retired. He is receiving a pension of $123,490 a year, 75 percent of his pay at retirement. He was not immediately available for comment.

But after he and state GOP chairman Giovanni Cicione were spotted deep in conversation at a Federal Hill eatery earlier this week, Cicione confirmed the two had talked about Pfeiffer's potential interest in running for Congress.

"I had heard that Judge Pfeiffer was interested in considering a run for office,'' Cicione said.

"We would leave it to him to announce anything, but we think he is a great guy and I would encourage him to run for anything he is interested in.''

A Pfeiffer candidacy for the 1st Congressional District seat would spur a GOP primary battle with the only Republican candidate in the field so far, state Rep. John Loughlin, R-Tiverton.

Cicione said he is not surprised or daunted by the prospect of another Republican in the race. "It is too good an opportunity for candidates on both sides to see an open seat and not take a swipe at it.'