Rhode Island Democratic Governor Dan McKee is in a tough re-election battle for his second full term, facing a primary challenge from former CVS executive Helena Foulkes. Public anger over the abrupt closure of the Washington Bridge in Providence in 2023 due to safety issues has become a central point of contention, with Foulkes leveraging this frustration to argue that McKee's administration is not effectively serving most Rhode Islanders. Polls leading up to the primary indicate Foulkes has a double-digit lead over the incumbent governor.
McKee narrowly defeated Foulkes in a multi-candidate Democratic primary four years ago. The governor, who assumed office in 2021 after Gina Raimondo became U.S. commerce secretary, is hoping to avoid becoming the first incumbent governor to lose a primary since 2018. He defends his decisions regarding the bridge, stating they ensured public safety, and promises completion of the bridge construction by 2028, comparing it favorably to the Francis Scott Key Bridge replacement in Baltimore.
Foulkes, whose grandfather and uncle were both Democratic U.S. senators in Connecticut, worked at CVS for 25 years, serving as president of the pharmacy division from 2014 to 2018. She later became CEO of Hudson's Bay Company. McKee, in turn, has criticized Foulkes, characterizing her as an out-of-touch elite and questioning her credibility. He has also pointed to CVS's $5 billion settlement in 2022 over opioid lawsuits, though Foulkes notes that opioid dispersal was reduced by 40% during her tenure as pharmacy division president. The primary is being held on a Wednesday, a departure from the typical Tuesday, to avoid proximity to Labor Day.
