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By Andrew StantonShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberDemocratic Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee received a warning sign about his chances of winning his party’s primary in a new poll released on Monday.
A spokesperson for McKee’s campaign told Newsweek that he does not “govern by polls.”
Why It Matters
Rhode Island is not usually a competitive state, but McKee is considered vulnerable in next year’s Democratic primary because of his consistently low approval rating among Ocean State voters. He is facing a primary challenge from Helena Foulkes, former president of CVS Pharmacy.
Although many Democrats could be facing primaries on ideological grounds ahead of the 2026 midterms, McKee’s unpopularity is more tied to local issues such as his handling of the closure of the Washington Bridge, which connects Providence to East Providence, that began in 2023.
What To Know
McKee became the governor of Rhode Island in 2021, after Gina Raimondo was appointed to serve as the Biden administration’s secretary of commerce. He faced a competitive primary in 2022, when Foulkes nearly defeated him. However, he went onto easily win the general election that November.
A competitive primary appears to be shaping up again for McKee, according to a new poll from the University of New Hampshire. It showed him trailing Foulkes as well as Rhode Island House Speaker Joe Shekarchi, who has not announced a campaign.
Foulkes led with 29 percent support, while 13 percent said they would vote for Shekarchi if he chooses to run. Only 11 percent said they would back McKee, while 6 percent said they would write in somebody else and 42 percent were still undecided.
...McKee’s disapproval reached a new high in the poll. Seventy-two percent of respondents said they disapproved of his job performance, while only 21 percent gave him positive marks.
The poll surveyed 711 Rhode Island residents from November 13-17 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points (5.1 percentage points for Democratic primary voters).
Rhode Island has been seen as a reliably Democratic state. It backed former Vice President Kamala Harris by nearly 14 points last November and former President Joe Biden by nearly 21 points in 2020.
McKee isn’t the first Rhode Island governor to face poor approval ratings. A Morning Consult poll from January 2019 found that Raimondo was among the 10 least-popular governors in the country, with 49 percent of voters saying they disapproved of her job performance following her reelection in 2018.
McKee has faced criticism over his handling of the Washington Bridge closure. In September, lawmakers raised concerns about his administration withholding a forensic audit of the bridge’s failure, reported The Rhode Island Current. Foulkes has cast herself as a candidate who would be more competent when dealing with the bridge, as well as the state’s economy.
What People Are Saying
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee's campaign told Newsweek: “Rhode Islanders don’t govern by polls, and neither does Governor McKee. While Donald Trump continues to tank our economy and gut Rhode Islanders’ healthcare, Governor McKee is doing the job — lowering school absences, reducing overdose deaths, and driving real economic growth. Polls come and go, but Governor McKee is focused on delivering for Rhode Island families.”
University of New Hampshire polling memo: “Governor McKee is very unpopular in the state. Only 21% of Rhode Island residents approve of his handling of his job. 72% disapprove and 6% neither approve nor disapprove or are unsure. McKee’s net approval rating is -51, relatively unchanged since September (-48). Thirty-six percent of Democrats approve of McKee’s performance, while only 11 percent of independents and 4% of Republicans approve.”
What Happens Next
Forecasters don’t view the race as particularly competitive in the general election. The Cook Political Report classifies the race as "Safe Democratic," while Sabato’s Crystal Ball views it as “Likely Democratic.”
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