In a significant political upset, Rhode Island Democratic Governor Dan McKee lost the primary election on Wednesday to Helena Foulkes, a former executive at CVS. McKee’s defeat marks the first time in eight years that a sitting U.S. governor has lost a primary, highlighting a challenging year for incumbents.
McKee’s campaign struggled due to complications with the protracted Washington Bridge reconstruction project in Providence, which sees over 70,000 vehicles daily. The project has been plagued by delays, cost overruns, and conflicts between state officials and former contractors, raising concerns about its transparency and accountability.
Foulkes capitalized on these issues during her campaign, focusing her attacks on McKee’s management of the bridge project. This approach resonated with voters and ultimately led to her success.
In 2023, McKee had partially closed the bridge, projecting its full reopening by the summer. However, he later announced that completion might not occur until 2028, despite construction commencing in June. Throughout his campaign, McKee maintained that the project was well-managed, telling The New York Times in August that “people are going to realize we did the right thing.”
The last time a sitting governor lost a primary was in 2018 when Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer was defeated. McKee’s loss adds to the growing list of Democratic incumbents who have been unseated in primary challenges this year. Unlike other primaries that have highlighted generational and ideological differences, both Foulkes and McKee are baby boomers who ran center-left campaigns.
Foulkes’ win adds to her family’s storied political history. Her grandfather, Thomas J. Dodd, and her uncle, Chris Dodd, both served as senators from Connecticut. After more than 25 years with CVS, she embarked on a gubernatorial run in 2022. Although McKee won that contest, Foulkes emerged victorious in this latest primary.
McKee claimed victory in their earlier encounter, but Foulkes ultimately prevailed in the recent primary.
