Candidate for Rhode Island governor Helena Buonanno Foulkes speaks during a Get Out the Vote event, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in Providence. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)
Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee gives an acceptance speech in front of supporters at a primary election night watch party in Providence, R.I., Sept. 13, 2022. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)
Candidate for Rhode Island governor Helena Buonanno Foulkes speaks during a Get Out the Vote event, Aug. 30, 2026, in Providence, R.I. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell, File)
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Helena Foulkes has defeated Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee in the state’s Democratic primary, ending his bid for a second full term.
McKee’s defeat marks the first time in more than 30 years that a sitting Rhode Island governor has been beaten in a primary. He is the first governor in any U.S. state to lose a party primary since 2018.
