Bad news for McKee and Matos
By Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current
The outcome marks yet another setback for McKee, who will be the first sitting governor in at least recent history not to win the backing of his party, said Joe Fleming, a WPRI 12 political analyst.
“I don’t recall an incumbent governor ever not winning the endorsement, and I’ve been around a long time,” Fleming said in an interview Monday. “This is not a good sign for the governor.”
McKee received 81 votes to Foulkes’ 75, while 11 voting committee members opted not to endorse, according to vote totals shared by the Rhode Island Democratic Party. To secure party backing, candidates need to get 50% of all votes cast plus one — or 84 of the 167 committee members who cast ballots at the Teamsters Local 251 union hall in East Providence Saturday.
A third gubernatorial Democratic candidate, restaurant owner Gregory Stevens, did not seek the party’s endorsement. He told Rhode Island Current Monday he was unaware the convention had already occurred or even that he needed to ask for an endorsement.
McKee’s campaign framed his lead over Foulkes as a victory in a statement Saturday afternoon, while again taking aim at Foulkes for her resume, including time as head of CVS Pharmacy.
“Rhode Islanders have a clear choice: a governor who has spent every day fighting for working families, or a corporate executive who has spent her career fighting for corporate profits in the boardroom,” McKee said in a statement. “I know which side I’m on – and today, Rhode Island Democrats made clear they do too.”
Even without a formal endorsement, the decision marks a success for Foulkes, Fleming said.
“For a challenger, no endorsement from the party is fine,” he said.
Foulkes also saw the split vote as good for her campaign.
“The party put people over politics in entrusting the decision to Democratic primary voters,” Foulkes said in a statement. “I’ll continue to make my case to Rhode Islanders and to share my vision of a state where everyone has access to great public schools, good-paying jobs, affordable healthcare, and a home they can afford.”
Foulkes lost to McKee by 3 percentage points in the 2022 September gubernatorial election, but has led McKee in recent polling and campaign donations, while racking up endorsements from municipal party leaders including McKee’s hometown of Cumberland.
Home turf no more
Since winning the Cumberland Democratic Town Committee’s endorsement on June 15, Foulkes has also secured the backing of party committees in Warren, Barrington, Exeter, Narragansett and Lincoln. Foulkes had already been backed by party committees in Portsmouth and Johnston. Pawtucket is the only municipal party committee that has backed McKee.
Cumberland Mayor Jeff Mutter also voted for Foulkes during the party convention Saturday.
“I think she’s smart, accomplished, clearly committed, and I think she’ll make a great governor,” Mutter said in an interview Monday.
Mutter described McKee as a mentor to him when he first ran for a Town Council seat in 1996. McKee was on the council at the time before ascending to the mayoral seat in 2000. What changed for Mutter?
“I’m not a fan of character assassination politics,” Mutter said. “That didn’t go over well with me.”
Another surprising reversal came from McKee’s former special advisor, Eva-Marie Mancuso, who voted for Foulkes despite serving in McKee’s administration till 2023. Mancuso cited McKee’s signature on a contested charter school moratorium bill as one reason for her opposition, according to news reports. Mancuso did not immediately respond to calls for comment.
Liz Beretta-Perik, state party chair, did not endorse in any of the contested state general office races.
“As party chair, my primary responsibility is to ensure that our elections are fair, equitable and transparent,” Beretta-Perik said in a text message Monday.
Her predecessor, Rep. Joe McNamara of Warwick, voted for McKee. DNC National Committeeman and former Providence mayor Joe Paolino Jr. backed Foulkes. McNamara and Paolino did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday.
As early voting approaches, McKee’s window to pick up the momentum he has failed to gain thus far is closing, Fleming said.
One boost could come when the Rhode Island AFL-CIO gathers in mid-July to poll its member unions on a potential endorsement. McKee has so far appeared in-step with the 80,000-member labor union federation, including supporting the union-backed charter school moratorium despite previously championing charter schools.
“That could hold some sway,” Fleming said.
But the union federation could also decline to endorse in the race if not enough of its member unions want to take a stand.
No endorsement for LG and AG
Democratic party leaders were also divided in the primaries for lieutenant governor and attorney general, with no candidate receiving enough votes to win the endorsement in their race. In the lieutenant governor’s race, Newport City Councilor Xay Khamsyvoravong received the most votes of party committee members, 71, followed by 55 votes for incumbent Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos. Providence City Councilor Sue AnderBois received 15 votes while former state Sen. Cindy Coyne of Barrington received 13, and eight people did not endorse. A candidate needed 82 votes to win the party’s endorsement based on the 162 ballots cast.
In the open competition to succeed term-limited Attorney General Peter Neronha, Rep. Joe Solomon Jr. of Warwick led with 73 votes — still less than the 80 needed for an endorsement based on 159 votes cast. Former Cannabis Control Commission Chair Kim Ahern received 42 votes, with 22 for former Neronha aide Keith Hoffmann and 12 for Rep. Jason Knight of Barrington. Ten people did not endorse.
Khamsyvoravong and Solomon’s campaigns each touted their vote totals from the party’s convention in separate statements Saturday.
Secretary of State Gregg Amore, General Treasurer James Diossa, U.S. Sen. Jack Reed and U.S. Reps. Gabe Amo and Seth Magaziner each received unanimous endorsements from the party.
Party committee members voted via paper ballot, a last-minute switch made after the online voting system stalled, said Katherine Riordan, party executive director.
“While waiting for the virtual ballots to load for every person, some state committee members started getting nervous and because of the importance of everyone being confident in the process, we decided to switch over to paper ballots which we had prepared for and which the state committee members were more accustomed to,” Riordan said in an email on Monday.
She did not respond to follow-up questions.
Early voting starts on Aug. 20. The primary is Wednesday, Sept. 9.
The Department of State will hold a lottery on Friday, July 17, at 5 p.m. to determine primary ballot placement for unendorsed federal and state party candidates.
The Rhode Island GOP is scheduled to hold its party convention on Thursday.
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