Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee has lost his Democratic primary to Helena Foulkes, a former executive with retail pharmacy CVS. The Associated Press reported the defeat on Wednesday, making McKee the first sitting governor to lose a primary in nearly a decade.
Foulkes' campaign criticised McKee's management of the repair work on Providence's Washington bridge. The bridge, a significant traffic route, was closed in December 2023 due to structural issues. Officials determined in March 2024 that the bridge required rebuilding, with the completion date now projected for November 2028, a delay from initial estimates for reopening this year.
The primary contest was a rematch from four years ago, when Foulkes placed second to McKee. The winner of Wednesday's primary is considered to have a significant advantage in the November general election, as the seat is rated as strongly Democratic by election prognosticators.