PROVIDENCE
Rhode Island Democratic Governor Dan McKee lost his party's primary Wednesday to businesswoman Helena Foulkes, making him the first sitting governor in the United States to be denied renomination by his party since 2018.
Foulkes, a former senior executive at CVS Health and current board member at Costco, secured the Democratic nomination. The rematch between the two was a reversal of 2022, when McKee narrowly defeated Foulkes in a crowded primary field.
McKee assumed the governorship in 2021 after then-Governor Gina Raimondo left office to serve as Commerce Secretary in the Biden administration. He won his first full term in 2022.
Foulkes' victory centered on McKee's handling of the Washington Bridge, a major infrastructure crisis in the state. The bridge was abruptly closed in December 2023 due to structural concerns and remains under reconstruction. Foulkes hammered the incumbent governor's management of the emergency throughout the campaign.
McKee countered by attacking Foulkes' corporate record, highlighting her leadership role at CVS during the company's controversial handling of prescription opioids and portraying her as an out-of-touch executive.
The last sitting governor to lose his party's nomination was Kansas Republican Jeff Colyer, who lost the 2018 GOP primary to then-Secretary of State Kris Kobach by fewer than 400 votes.
Foulkes will face the winner of the Republican primary in November. The GOP race features Aaron Guckian, the party's 2022 nominee for lieutenant governor, and retired business executive Elaine Pelino.
