She’s Back - Helena Foulkes Raises $116,000 in Run for Governor

She’s Back - Helena Foulkes Raises $116,000 in Run for Governor

Helena Foulkes, the former top CVS executive who narrowly lost to Dan McKee in the last Democratic primary for governor, raised $116,000 in the fourth quarter. She ends the year with $120,295.96.

She outnetted both incumbent McKee and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha — who has stated he is a potential candidate for governor in 2026.

Foulkes' campaign account still owes more than $1.8 million to her and her husband for her failed campaign in 2022. She lost to McKee by less than 4,000 votes in a crowded five-way Democratic primary.

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McKee only captured 32.8% of the vote and Foulkes 29.9%.

 

 

Big Name Donors

Foulkes scored $1,000 donations in the fourth quarter of 2023 from investor Malcolm Chace, construction CEO Brad Dimeo, her uncle and former U.S. Senator Chris Dodd, ad exec and Textron executive Jon and Julia Duffy, former Caesars CEO Gary Loveman, Hugo Mainelli of Aetna Bridge (one of the Washington Bridge contractors), Donna Paolino of Paolino Properties, former Hasbro CEO Al Verrecchia, to name a few.

Nearly all of the Foulkes donations were for $1,000.

Foulkes has been meeting regularly with a group of top supporters in an effort to get an earlier start for a gubernatorial run in 2026.

 

 

Neronha Netted Just $8,000 for the Fourth Quarter

Neronha raised less than $21,000 and had campaign expenses of $12,000.  Neronha netted less than $8,000 and finished the year with just over $77,000 cash on hand.

Fundraising consultant Julie Andrews was paid $7,566. 

 

 

McKee Campaign Hit with Big Expenses

McKee raised the most for the fourth quarter of 2023. The governor raised $139,750 but recorded campaign expenses of $46,918.47.

Thus, McKee’s netted just $92,831.53.

It leaves McKee with $206,554.54 — a fairly modest amount for a sitting governor.

McKee donors included a number of IGT and Bally’s donors, attorney Karen Grande, whose law firm Locke Lord has been paid millions in legal fees tied to the Pawtucket soccer stadium project ($250); Mike Raia, the PR spokesperson for the soccer team ($250); and $12,000 in donations from a range of political action committees - primarily from union and healthcare interests.