McKee was beat by former CVS executive Helena Foulkes in a rematch of the state’s 2022 Democratic gubernatorial primary, which the incumbent narrowly won.
Page F4From§Eachthe midnight edition — 10 September 2026
Rhode Island governor becomes first sitting governor in eight years to lose primary, ousted by businesswoman and CVS executive
The numbers don’t lie: Rhode Island’s Dan McKee, sitting governor, becomes the first in eight years—and the first elected governor since 2014—to lose a primary, ousted by businesswoman Helena Foulkes and former CVS executive. Ten stories walk us through the sequence: the rare incumbent ouster, the defeat by Foulkes, and the revolving door between politics and business. It’s not just a change; it’s a pattern that calls the system’s stability into question. The party’s ask is stability, but the reward is turnover and the promise that anyone with a business resume can walk right in. The column reconciles the record: the rare event, the new faces, and the receipts that show just how open the door is, hon. The joke is the wrong register—stability treated as a reward program, and the barcode as the new ballot.
“Incumbents are supposed to be safe bets, but Rhode Island just bounced its governor for a businesswoman and a CVS exec. They say the system protects its own, but the receipts say the revolving door spins for whoever’s got the next rewards card. The ask is stability; the reward is a fresh face with a barcode.”
“Listen, this just shows how healthy democracy is—incumbents get challenged and sometimes lose. That’s the process. People want change, or maybe they don’t. Did I say that? Anyway, it’s not unusual—well, maybe it’s a little unusual. But it’s good for the party, or not. The important thing is, everyone wins. Or loses. Depending.”
The receipts
Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee is the first sitting governor nationwide to lose a primary in eight years.
NBC News projects that Foulkes won the Democratic nomination in the blue state, making McKee the first governor to fall in a primary in eight years.
Gov. Dan McKee (D-RI) on Wednesday lost Rhode Island’s Democratic primary to former CVS executive Helena Buonanno Foulkes, making him the first incumbent governor in years nationwide to lose renomination. Just before 9 p.m., Foulkes was leading McKee 62.5% to 37.5% with 80% of the votes counted, according to the Associated Press.
It was a bad night to be an incumbent in Rhode Island on Wednesday, with the governor and the mayor of the state’s largest city losing their Democratic primaries. Former CVS executive Helena Foulkes defeated Democratic Gov. Dan McKee while Providence Mayor Brett Smiley lost to democratic socialist state Rep.
Former CVS executive Helena Foulkes defeated the Rhode Island governor in the Democratic primary after he failed to corral a growing political crisis around a bridge.
Ms. Foulkes, a former CVS executive, had hammered Mr. McKee for his handling of a bridge closure that created traffic nightmares.
Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee has lost his Democratic primary to former CVS executive Helena Foulkes, NBC News projects, after facing a significant spending disadvantage and voter discontent with his tenure. NBC News' Steve Kornacki breaks down the numbers.
Costco board member, former CVS exec avenges narrow 2022 loss to Gov. Dan McKee in high-stakes Rhode Island rematch. McKee is the first sitting governor to lose aparty primary in years.
Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee is projected to lose his reelection bid to former CVS executive Helena Foulkes in the Democratic primary for Rhode Island, according to Decision Desk HQ. (DDHQ).
This page is a back-issue: the story as it ran, receipts as they were. The current edition is at the front.