Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee Loses Democratic Primary to Helena Foulkes

Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee faced a significant political setback when he lost the Democratic primary to businesswoman Helena Foulkes. McKee becomes the first sitting governor since 2018 to be denied his party’s nomination. Helena Foulkes, known for her executive role at CVS and current position on the Costco board, defeated McKee in what was a rematch of their closely contested 2022 primary, where McKee previously edged her out by a small margin.

McKee initially became governor in 2021, filling the vacancy left by Gina Raimondo, who joined the Biden administration as Commerce Secretary. He won a full term in 2022 after narrowly securing the Democratic primary win against Foulkes. The recent defeat adds McKee to the list of incumbents who failed to secure nominations in the 2026 primary season.

The last sitting governor to lose his nomination was Kansas Republican Governor Jeff Colyer in 2018. Colyer narrowly lost the GOP primary to Kris Kobach, who was endorsed by Donald Trump at that time.

Helena Foulkes has an extensive background in the private sector, including a senior role at CVS and serving as CEO of Hudson’s Bay Company. Her 2026 campaign represented a second attempt for elected office after the 2022 defeat by McKee.

The rematch between McKee and Foulkes revolved around their differing leadership and management approaches. Foulkes criticized McKee’s handling of state affairs, citing issues like the prolonged reconstruction of the Washington Bridge, which had been abruptly closed in December 2023 over structural concerns. McKee defended his administration while targeting Foulkes’ corporate background, pointing to controversies during her tenure at CVS related to opioid prescriptions.

With this primary win, Foulkes progresses to the November general election. She will likely face the winner of the Republican primary featuring Aaron Guckian, the 2022 GOP nominee for Rhode Island lieutenant governor, and Elaine Pelino, a retired business executive.

Alec Schemmel, a Politics Reporter originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, contributed reporting from the Washington D.C.-Baltimore area for Fox News Digital.