USA10 September, 20263 min read
Helena Foulkes Defeats Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee In Democratic Primary
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Helena Foulkes defeated incumbent Gov. Dan McKee in Rhode Island Democratic primary. Former CVS executive Helena Foulkes led McKee 62.3% to 37.7%.
McKee ousted in primary
Helena Foulkes defeated Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee in the state’s Democratic primary Wednesday night, with The Associated Press projecting the result as Foulkes leading McKee 62.3% to 37.7% with roughly half of all votes counted at around 8:30 p.m. ET.
“With roughly half of all votes counted at around 8:30 p.m. ET, Foulkes led McKee 62.3% to 37.7%.”
The win ended McKee’s bid for a second full term and made him the first sitting Rhode Island governor to lose a party primary since 2018, according to The Associated Press.
The CBS News report tied the rematch to the Washington Bridge closure, saying the bridge was shut down in December 2023 after broken anchor rods were discovered.
CBS News also said rebuilding the bridge is now estimated to cost $427 million and is scheduled to be completed in November 2028, after an original price tag of $368 million and a finish date that was supposed to be this past August.
In Providence, R.I., The Associated Press described the outcome as the first time in more than 30 years that a sitting Rhode Island governor has been beaten in a primary.
Bridge and opioid attacks
In her victory speech in Providence, Foulkes told a large crowd Wednesday, “Tonight, we may have won the Democratic primary for governor, but let me be clear about what happens next: You will have a governor for everyone.” McKee, in response, characterized Foulkes as an out-of-touch elite who turned a blind eye to the opioid crisis during her tenure at CVS, telling The Associated Press earlier this month, “The option here is somebody who wants to buy this state office who doesn’t have any credibility with their policy thoughts and someone like myself, who has a strong record in terms of working people,” The ABC News report said McKee’s concession speech promised to work with Foulkes to ensure a “smooth transition,” while also framing the bridge replacement questions as part of the broader challenge McKee faced in the rematch.
CBS News said McKee’s first full term has been plagued by the closure of the Washington Bridge, which it described as a crucial link between Providence and its eastern suburbs. HuffPost added that in 2023 McKee closed the Washington Bridge, carrying Interstate 195 over the Seekonk River and connecting Providence to its eastern suburbs and the south coast of Massachusetts.
What comes next
Foulkes’ Democratic primary win advances her to the November general election, where she is described by Fox News as a favorite against the winner of the Republican primary between Aaron Guckian and Elaine Pelino. Fox News said the Republican gubernatorial primary is between Aaron Guckian, the GOP’s 2022 nominee for Rhode Island lieutenant governor, and retired business executive Elaine Pelino, and it also named independent candidates Ken Block, Jasjit "Jay" Gotra and Christopher "CD" Reynolds for the November general election. CBS News reported that Foulkes campaigned on housing and affordability and proposed a tax on millionaires that would allot money to build over 20,000 homes by adding an additional 3% tax on incomes over $1 million.
“Foulkes will advance to the November general election as a favorite against the winner of the Republican primary between Aaron Guckian and retired business executive Elaine Pelino.”
CBS News also said she has pitched raising Medicaid reimbursement rates and cited her 25-year career as evidence that she can make healthcare more accessible. Meanwhile, the bridge project remains central to the political stakes, with CBS News saying rebuilding the Washington Bridge is estimated to cost $427 million and is scheduled to be completed in November 2028.