U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., successfully fended off two progressive primary challengers Wednesday, securing the Democratic nomination for his sixth term in the U.S. Senate. Reed, who has held his seat for three decades, will face Republican Ray McKay and independent Michael Bahry in the November general election.
The primary race highlighted a division within the state's Democratic party, pitting the longtime incumbent against challengers Connor Burbridge and Luis Muñoz, who advocated for more progressive policies. Burbridge, a small business owner and community organizer, and Muñoz, a medical school graduate and entrepreneur, ran on platforms that included abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, wealth taxation, and ending aid to Israel.
Reed, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, has maintained a stance supporting military aid to Israel, though he has also expressed criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and called for renewed efforts toward a two-state solution. His tenure in the Senate began in 1996, after serving three terms in the House of Representatives. He also holds positions on the Appropriations, Banking, and Intelligence committees.
Federal Election Commission records indicated a significant financial advantage for Reed's campaign. Through Aug. 20, his campaign reported approximately $3.4 million in total receipts for the 2025-2026 election cycle and had nearly $3.1 million in cash on hand. In contrast, Burbridge's campaign reported just over $25,000 raised, and no fundraising totals were listed for Muñoz's campaign prior to the primary.
Reed's background includes his father's experience as a World War II veteran and custodial supervisor, which the senator cites as influential. Reed himself attended West Point later in life and served in the Army before earning advanced degrees from Harvard. His general election opponents, McKay and Bahry, ran unopposed in their respective primaries.