By Nathaniel "Beltway" Steele
Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee's bid for another term ended Tuesday night, as Democratic primary voters chose former CVS Health executive Helena Foulkes to be their nominee instead, NBC News projected.
Ms. Foulkes built her campaign around Mr. McKee's handling of the Washington Bridge closure, a shutdown that created what the New York Times described as "traffic nightmares" for commuters across the state. She also outspent the incumbent, according to NBC News, which cited a "significant spending disadvantage" as one factor in Mr. McKee's loss, alongside broader voter discontent with his tenure.
Mr. McKee, who rose to the governorship in 2021 after Gina Raimondo left to join the Biden Cabinet, had faced skepticism from within his own party over his response to the bridge crisis, which closed a major span connecting Providence and East Providence and forced months of costly detours.
The result makes Ms. Foulkes the Democratic nominee heading into the general election in a state that has not elected a Republican governor since Donald Carcieri left office in 2011. Rhode Island remains reliably Democratic in statewide races, meaning her primary win puts her in strong position for the fall.
Neither campaign's full statements on the outcome were available at publication. This account relies on reporting from NBC News and the New York Times.
— Compiled from reporting by NBC News and The New York Times.
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