Rhode Island Gov Dan McKee is facing Helena Buonanno Foulkes in a tough Democratic primary as he seeks a second full term. Rhode Island voters are choosing nominees for federal, state and local offices, and McKee is trying to avoid becoming the first elected governor since 2014 to lose renomination.
Foulkes finished a close second behind him in the five-way 2022 Democratic primary, when McKee won 32.8% of the vote, Foulkes got 29.9% and Nellie Gorbea received 26.2%. McKee later won the 2022 general election with about 58% of the vote.
Washington Bridge in Rhode Island
The race has centered on McKee's handling of the Washington Bridge, which links Providence and East Providence and carries 100,000 vehicles per day. McKee closed the westbound bridge in December 2023 after authorities found critical structural flaws, and officials said in March 2024 that it would have to be demolished and replaced.
The state had first estimated the bridge would reopen this year, but that timetable has been pushed back to Nov. 2028. For voters using the bridge corridor, the campaign is less about slogans than about when the route will be restored and who will own the reconstruction in the years ahead.
2024 joint investigation
A 2024 joint investigation by Peter Neronha and the Rhode Island state police found that McKee personally and directly intervened in the awarding of a multimillion-dollar state contract, while also concluding that he did not violate the state's bribery or campaign finance laws. Neronha endorsed Foulkes in March, adding another public split inside the race.
McKee has countered by focusing on Foulkes' work at CVS and the company's alleged role in fueling the opioid crisis. Foulkes, a former longtime executive with CVS, is also the niece of former Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut.
Rhode Island Democratic primary
Independent polling from the University of New Hampshire has shown Foulkes ahead of McKee throughout the year, though many voters were undecided in the latest poll. Her fundraising and spending have almost doubled McKee's under state campaign finance records, a gap that gives her campaign more room to keep competing on advertising and organization before the primary result settles the nomination.
The outcome will also help decide nominees for a full slate of federal, state and local offices. In the Republican primary, Aaron Guckian and Elaine Pelino are vying for the nomination, with the state party backing Guckian.
McKee's path is simpler on paper than in practice: hold enough of the 2022 coalition that carried Warwick, Cranston, East Providence and Pawtucket, while limiting Foulkes where she did best around Narragansett Bay. If he cannot do that, Rhode Island could add another rare turnover to a governor's race that has already reshaped the field.
