Helena Foulkes won Rhode Island’s Democratic primary on Sept. 9, 2026, defeating incumbent Gov. Dan McKee, according to Associated Press results and state tallies.
Foulkes, who is running as a Democrat and is a former CVS executive, beat Gov. Dan McKee in the statewide primary, ending his bid for a second full term, the AP reported.
Ballotpedia’s race page lists the September 9 Democratic primary result as Foulkes’s victory, and major outlets including The New York Times and The Washington Post carried live results confirming the outcome.
The Washington Post noted that McKee’s loss makes him the first sitting governor to lose renomination since 2018, a rarity in modern gubernatorial politics echoed by The Hill’s analysis of the night’s upsets.
Helena Foulkes’s campaign highlighted infrastructure and economic themes during the contest, and local coverage described criticism of McKee’s handling of state transportation projects as a line of attack in the race, reporting that those issues factored into voters’ choices.
The result hands the Democratic nomination to Foulkes and sets up a general election contest in November; Rhode Island will hold its general election for governor on Nov. 3, 2026, as listed on Ballotpedia and election calendars.
Readers who followed other New England primaries may find additional regional context in recent coverage of neighboring contests, such as the New Hampshire House primary and the Massachusetts Senate primary, which also ran this week.
Sources
- Associated Press — reported Foulkes defeated Gov. Dan McKee in the Democratic primary and provided vote-election context.
- Ballotpedia — provided the September 9, 2026 Rhode Island Democratic primary listing and race details.
- The Washington Post — reported that McKee is the first sitting governor to lose renomination since 2018.
- The New York Times — live results page confirming the Democratic primary outcome.
- The Hill — analysis noting incumbents who fell in Rhode Island primaries and broader takeaways.
