Elections & Campaigns
Governors Almost Never Lose Primaries
May 4, 2026 | Bill Kramer
Rhode Island governor primary election polls show incumbent Dan McKee trailing challenger Helena Foulkes by 34 points, with 45% of likely voters supporting Foulkes compared to just 11% for McKee. Helena Foulkes, a former CVS Health executive, is leading the Dan McKee gubernatorial race despite 39% of voters remaining undecided, while McKee's disapproval rating has reached 76% among likely primary voters. An incumbent governor primary defeat would be rare in modern politics, with only three governors losing primaries since 2010 compared to nine in the 1970s, largely due to term limits and the shift from two-year to four-year terms. State gubernatorial elections 2026 already feature open races in 18 of 36 contests, and a McKee loss would bring the total number of states with new governors to at least 19.
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