Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee confronts a potentially historic loss as voters head to the polls Wednesday, trailing challenger Helena Foulkes by 15 points in the latest polling. If defeated, McKee would become the first elected sitting governor to lose a primary election since 2014.

Bridge Collapse Dooms Incumbent Governor

McKee, who assumed office in 2021 after Gina Raimondo departed to serve as Commerce Secretary under President Biden, won reelection in 2022 but has seen his approval ratings plummet. Morning Consult now ranks him as the third least popular governor in the nation. The Washington Bridge closure has dominated his tenure and devastated his political standing among Rhode Island voters.

The westbound bridge connecting East Providence to Providence shut down in December 2023 after inspectors discovered broken anchor rods. The rebuild project has ballooned from an initial $368 million budget to $427 million, while the completion date has slipped from August 2026 to November 2028. Political experts say the infrastructure failure has become symbolic of perceived incompetence in the McKee administration.

Political Outsider Gains Momentum

Helena Foulkes enters the race with no prior elected office experience but carries significant political connections. Her grandfather and uncle, Thomas and Chris Dodd, both served as senators. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was college roommates with Foulkes’ mother, has endorsed her campaign. The former CVS pharmacy president has built her platform around housing affordability and healthcare access.

Foulkes proposes a Millionaire’s Tax adding 3 percent to incomes over $1 million to fund construction of more than 20,000 homes. She advocates raising Medicaid reimbursement rates, drawing on her 25-year career in healthcare as evidence of her qualifications. Political analysts say the race functions more as a referendum on McKee’s competence than a debate over policy differences.

Progressive Challenge Shakes Providence

The Democratic establishment faces another potential upset in Providence, where democratic socialist State Representative David Morales challenges first-term Mayor Brett Smiley. Morales, 27, carries endorsements from Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Ro Khanna. He supports rent stabilization and other progressive policies, though he denies allegations from Smiley that he wants to defund police. Providence College professor Adam Myers noted that multiple major Rhode Island elected officials could lose their positions. The general election remains solidly Democratic according to the Cook Political Report, with Republicans Aarron Guckian and Elaine Pelino competing for their party’s nomination.