Poll shows Helena Foulkes leading Dan McKee in Rhode Island Democratic gubernatorial primary

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Helena Foulkes is leading incumbent Gov. Dan McKee in Rhode Island ahead of the state’s upcoming Democratic primary, according to a new poll released Tuesday by Emerson College Polling for WPRI-TV 12.

The survey, conducted for the Nexstar-affiliated station, shows Foulkes with 45 percent support compared with McKee at a level that trails by 15 points overall. The findings reflect voter preferences among likely Democratic primary voters in the state, according to the poll report.

Foulkes, a former CVS Health official, is challenging McKee, who has served as governor since succeeding Gina Raimondo in 2015. The primary contest will determine who advances as the Democratic nominee for governor, a role that is central to Rhode Island’s state government and budget priorities.

The poll’s statewide snapshot comes as both campaigns seek to define the contrast between the incumbent’s record in office and the challenger’s bid for the nomination, with the race playing out among Democratic voters who will ultimately decide the primary outcome.

For McKee, the poll indicates weakness within his own party’s base, since Democratic gubernatorial nominations in Rhode Island are often the key electoral contest in a state that leans Democratic. For Foulkes, the survey suggests she is consolidating support sufficiently to pose a serious challenge to the incumbent before the primary vote.

The Emerson-WPRI poll is part of the broader sequence of pre-primary measurement efforts that typically influence how campaigns allocate resources, set messaging priorities, and target specific voter groups, though the poll itself is not a substitute for the votes cast on Election Day.

Election administration timing and the final primary results will determine whether McKee can close the gap with Democratic voters or whether Foulkes will win the nomination and proceed to the general election as the party’s standard-bearer.

The next step for both campaigns is to respond to voter concerns highlighted by polling and to focus on turnout and persuasion among likely Democratic primary voters, with the primary outcome determining which candidate will represent the Democratic Party in Rhode Island’s governor’s race.