Helena Foulkes Beats Gov. McKee

The former CVS executive defeated Rhode Island’s incumbent governor in the Democratic primary.

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Rhode Island Gov. McKee Loses Democratic Nomination to Helena Foulkes

Rhode Island’s Governor Is Trounced in Democratic Primary

Dem incumbent becomes first sitting governor to lose primary since 2018

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A neutral summary of the key facts most outlets agree on, drawn from reporting across the political spectrum.

Former CVS executive Helena Foulkes won Rhode Island’s Democratic primary for governor Wednesday, defeating incumbent Gov. Dan McKee 62.3% to 37.7% with roughly half the vote counted around 8:30 p.m. ET. The result makes McKee the first sitting governor in any state to lose a party primary since 2018 and ends his bid for a second full term. Foulkes’ campaign capitalized on voter frustration over the 2023 closure of the westbound lanes of Providence’s Washington Bridge, a commuter route whose shutdown caused prolonged traffic disruption.

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