NEW: Poll Shows Little Support for Another Term for McKee and Foulkes Hasn’t Gained Momentum

NEW: Poll Shows Little Support for Another Term for McKee and Foulkes Hasn’t Gained Momentum

The 2026 Democratic primary for governor of Rhode Island remains unclear, as a plurality of likely voters are undecided on their choice of candidate, according to Ocean State Poll, a States of Opinion Project, conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, released on Monday.

The numbers are dismal for Governor Dan McKee and not that much better for Helena Foulkes.

Foulkes currently holds a slight lead over prospective candidate and Speaker of the RI House Joe Shekarchi (he has not announced he is running) and incumbent. McKee is very unpopular among likely Democratic primary voters and suffers from low job approval among Rhode Islanders overall.

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Shekarchi said in a statement,  "The race for Governor is wide open, even though the two announced candidates have previously run statewide. In 2026, I will continue bringing people together to address affordability in health care, housing, cost of living, and attracting and retaining good jobs in Rhode Island." 

In the race for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Rhode Island, 29% of likely Democratic primary voters (N=359) say they would currently vote for former CVS executive Helena Foulkes, 13% would vote for Speaker of the RI House of Representatives Joe Shekarchi, 11% would vote for incumbent Governor Dan McKee, 6% would write in someone else, and 42% are undecided.

 

 

 

 

 

Other issues - Hospitals and Washington Bridge

Rhode Islanders would like state officials to intervene to keep Our Lady of Fatima and Roger Williams Medical Center open, with many state residents reporting they or their family used one or both hospitals at one time or another. But a small percentage have used either of the hospitals recently.

The poll finds:

Seven percent of Rhode Islanders say they or their family have used Our Lady of Fatima Hospital within the past year, 7% say they or their family have used it in the past 1-2 years, 12% say they or their family have used it in the past 3-5 years, 6% say they or their family have used it in the past 6-10 years, 12% say they or their family have used it more than 10 years ago, and 46% say neither themselves nor their family have never used it.

Seven percent of Rhode Islanders say they or their family have used Roger Williams Medical Center within the past year, 8% say they or their family have used it in the past 1-2 years, 6% say they or their family have used it in the past 3-5 years, 11% say they or their family have used it in the past 6-10 years, 10% say they or their family have used it more than 10 years ago, and 49% say neither themselves nor their family have never used it.

 

According to the poll, the Washington Bridge situation continues to hamper travel in Rhode Island, and most feel the McKee administration's communication on the matter has been poor. Housing, the economy, or the cost of living are mentioned by more than half of Rhode Islanders as the most important problem facing the state.

Rhode Islanders have generally negative views on the McKee administration's communication with the public about the Washington.

Bridge situation: more than two-thirds (68%) rate the administration's communication as very poor (47%) or poor (21%), 21% rate it as fair, and only 6% rate it as very good (1%) or good (6%). Majorities of Independents (84%), Republicans (79%), and Democrats (55%) rate the McKee administration's communication on the situation as very poor or poor.