Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee is facing a critical primary rematch against Helena Foulkes, a former executive at CVS Health, as the incumbent grapples with public frustration over the prolonged repair of the Washington Bridge. The Sept. 9 primary is seen as a crucial test for McKee, who risks becoming the first U.S. governor to lose a primary election since 2018 and the first Rhode Island governor to lose a primary in over three decades.
Foulkes has outraised the incumbent governor and significantly increased her campaign's visibility through advertising. Democratic voters have shown a growing willingness to oust incumbents in the current election cycle, adding to the pressure on McKee, 75. The lingering anger over the Washington Bridge repairs, which have extended beyond initial projections and increased in cost, provides Foulkes with substantial material to criticize McKee's leadership.
"I think that what I’ve really learned in the last four years, in a deeper way, is how much people feel like state government just works with a powerful few,” Foulkes, 62, said in an interview. “They also hear the leader of the state saying ‘everything’s great’ and they’re saying, ‘I really worry about a good paying job.’”
Washington Bridge Repairs
The Washington Bridge, a critical artery carrying Interstate 195 over the Seekonk River and connecting Providence to East Providence and parts of Massachusetts, was partially closed in 2023 after state officials identified a "critical failure." Nearly 100,000 vehicles depend on the bridge daily. The repair timeline has been significantly extended, and costs have risen above initial estimates, a situation that political scientists note can directly impact a governor's standing.
"In the case of a bridge, people know that state government is responsible for that,” said Adam Myers, a political scientist at Providence College. “And so there appears to be a very clear place on which to put all the blame.”
Mckee has defended his administration's actions, emphasizing that the closure prioritized public safety and has set a completion date of 2028 for the bridge repairs. He has pointed to the projected completion date as being ahead of the estimated 2030 finish for the replacement of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, which suffered a catastrophic collapse in 2024.
Campaign Attacks
As McKee defends his record on the bridge, he has also launched attacks against Foulkes, portraying her as an out-of-touch corporate executive attempting to purchase the election. Foulkes, who has familial ties to Connecticut Democratic senators Thomas and Chris Dodd, spent 25 years at CVS Health, eventually leading its pharmacy division. She later served as CEO of Hudson's Bay Company before departing in 2020.
Mckee has accused Foulkes of contributing to the opioid crisis during her tenure at CVS, an allegation Foulkes refutes. She stated that during her leadership at CVS Pharmacy, the company reduced opioid dispensing by 40%. CVS Health later agreed to a $5 billion settlement in 2022 to resolve lawsuits nationwide concerning the opioid crisis, without admitting liability. Foulkes has cautioned that McKee's attacks on her time at CVS could alienate the company's thousands of employees in Rhode Island.
Mckee has sought to align himself with working-class voters, highlighting numerous labor endorsements. However, both the Rhode Island Democratic Party and the state AFL-CIO have opted not to endorse a candidate in the primary. Foulkes, conversely, highlights her growing support, which includes Democrats from McKee's hometown of Cumberland, where he previously served as mayor.
The winner of the primary is expected to be the strong favorite in the general election in the Democratic-leaning state.