Incumbent Daniel McKee, Helena Foulkes, and Gregory Stevens are running in the Democratic primary for governor of Rhode Island on Sept. 9. The filing deadline for this election has passed, and more candidates may be added or removed once the ballot is certified.McKee and Foulkes lead in polling, endorsements, and fundraising.
The Democratic primary is a rematch between McKee and Foulkes. McKee became governor on March 2, 2021, after then-Gov. Gina Raimondo (D) was confirmed to serve as the U.S. secretary of commerce in President Joe Biden's (D) administration. Foulkes unsuccessfully challenged McKee in the 2022 Democratic gubernatorial primary, with McKee receiving 32.8% of the vote to Foulkes' 29.9%.
Heading into the 2026 primary, 12 News' Ted Nesi writes in June 2026 that McKee "is facing a formidable challenge from Foulkes ... Foulkes led McKee by 20 points in last month’s 12 News/Emerson College survey and had over $2 million more in her campaign account as of March." On June 20, the Rhode Island Democratic Party voted not to endorse either candidate after neither received a majority of votes at the party's endorsement convention.
