Traffic drama threatens to end Dem governor's tenure as voters head to polls in Rhode Island

Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee Faces Tight Primary Race Over Washington Bridge

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – On Wednesday, Democratic Governor Dan McKee will return to the ballot box to defend the party’s top leadership spot in Rhode Island’s most closely watched primary. The election pits the incumbent, who first took office in March 2021 after former Governor Gina Raimondo left for a federal post, against former CVS executive Helena Buonanno Foulkes, a longtime state businesswoman and niece of former U.S. Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut.

The contest is largely a battle over how the state has handled the prolonged shutdown of the Washington Bridge, which closed in December 2023 after officials identified critical structural defects. The bridge, a key link between Providence and East Providence, carried roughly 100,000 vehicles a day before its westbound span was shut. Traffic now uses a single, reconfigured eastbound span with fewer lanes. Originally slated to reopen this year, the state has pushed the expected finish date to November 2028, a delay that has fueled criticism of McKee’s administration.

McKee narrowly beat Foulkes in the 2022 Democratic primary and then secured the general election in a state that leans heavily toward the party. But in the months since, Foulkes has raised her profile by campaigning on a promise of a faster rebuild and a different approach to the bidding process for the bridge’s reconstruction. The governor, meanwhile, has called Foulkes an “out‑of‑touch corporate executive” who is seeking a win for herself rather than the public good.

Campaign finance records show that McKee’s rivals have spent almost twice as much as he has, giving Foulkes a significant fundraising edge. “The money advantage translates into more ads, more outreach, more influence,” said a campaign finance analyst who asked to remain anonymous. “In a tight race, the spending gap can be decisive.”

The Washington Bridge issue sits on a platform of other pressing state concerns. Rhode Islanders are dealing with some of the highest electricity rates in the country, and the state’s affordable‑housing crisis has drawn attention from voters and activists alike. McKee’s critics argue that his administration has not done enough to address these problems, while supporters point to ongoing efforts to expand renewable energy and to boost housing development.

If McKee wins the Democratic nomination, he will face a Republican opponent in the general election that is widely regarded as a safe blue seat. Republican candidates include Aaron Guckian, a trade‑association executive who ran as the GOP nominee for lieutenant governor in 2022, and former actress Elaine Pelino, who is seeking a first‑time run for public office. The Republican Party has officially endorsed Guckian.

The primary is taking place against the backdrop of a larger statewide election cycle that includes congressional and Senate races. In the U.S. Senate, long‑time incumbent Senator Jack Reed, a Democrat who has served for three decades, faces a primary challenge from Republican Raymond McKay, a former state GOP assembly leader. Meanwhile, the U.S. House seats in Rhode Island’s two congressional districts are largely uncontested for the Democrats—Reps. Gabe Amo and Seth Magaziner are the presumptive nominees—while the Republican side features a primary between entrepreneur Victory Mellor and physician Stephen Skoly for the 1st district, and a primary between candidates for the 2nd district.

“Every election cycle in Rhode Island is a bellwether for how the state’s politics are shifting,” said political science professor Laura Simpson at Brown University. “The governor’s primary is a microcosm of broader themes—government accountability, infrastructure spending, and the influence of money in politics.”

The Washington Bridge remains the centerpiece of the campaign, and both candidates have used it to illustrate their differing visions for the state’s future. McKee has defended the existing reconstruction plan, emphasizing the importance of rigorous safety standards and transparent oversight. Foulkes, by contrast, has argued for a streamlined bidding process that would expedite construction and reduce costs.

Voters heading to the polls on Wednesday will decide not only who will lead Rhode Island’s Democratic Party next year but also how the state will navigate its most visible infrastructure challenge. With a spending gap, a highly publicized bridge shutdown, and a host of other statewide issues at play, the race promises to be one of the most consequential primaries in the country’s smallest state.