Foulkes holds 11 point lead

Sabrina Matos in statistical tie for LG

By the Salve Regina University’s Pell Center

Democratic candidate Helena Foulkes leads the Rhode Island gubernatorial race with 39% support among likely voters, while the race for lieutenant governor remains statistically tied, according to a new survey from Salve Regina University’s Pell Center. 

The survey was directed by Pell Center Associate Director and Fellow Katie Sonder and fielded by Embold Research between October 5-8, 2026. The survey included 815 likely Rhode Island midterm voters and has a margin of error of ±3.6 percentage points.

Foulkes leads by 11 points, followed by Independent Ken Block (28%) and Republican Aaron Guckian (17%). Foulkes leads across major demographic subsets and has the strongest support among women (44%), people of color (53%), and college-educated voters (43%). While support for Block and Guckian does not individually outweigh support for Foulkes, their combined vote share surpasses hers in some demographic groups, including across all Rhode Island counties. Thirteen percent of likely midterm voters remain undecided. 

Jack Reed condemns Trump plan to broadcast execution

The last public execution in the US was the hanging of Reiney Betha, on August 14, 1936. That's 90 years ago.

Trump screws Rhode Island again by denying FEMA funding to cover state costs for historic blizzard

McKee calls FEMA’s denial of Rhode Island’s blizzard relief request ‘a new low’

By Christopher Shea, Rhode Island Current

Gov. Dan McKee and Rhode Island’s congressional delegation are blasting the Trump administration after the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) again rejected the state’s request for $19 million to cover recovery costs associated with February’s historic blizzard.

McKee’s office appealed FEMA’s initial denial of the state’s April request for funding relief  under the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act on July 15. The law allows governors to either request support for disasters caused by severe weather or if “the situation is beyond the capability of the state.”

In a letter to McKee on Wednesday, FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton wrote the agency reviewed Rhode Island’s initial request and appeal only to determine financial aid was not warranted for the hurricane-strength blizzard that buried the state in over 3 feet of snow.

Hamilton’s letter did not explain why Rhode Island failed to meet the criteria for federal aid. But in a post on X around 5 p.m. Wednesday, he elaborated on the denial, which also applied to similar requests from New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts.

“Winter weather is not new to the Northeast,” Hamilton wrote. “Federal disaster aid is not a backstop for routine state & local budgeting.”

Charlestown Dems complete endorsements, urge you to vote in the Sept. 9 Primary

 

C-Town Dems News

August 2026

Early voting has begun!

You may cast your vote in person at Charlestown Town Hall Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM

The Charlestown Democratic Town Committee has endorsed the following candidates:   House District 36 Tina Spears Senate District 34 Samantha Wilcox Senate District 38 Victoria Gu US Senate Jack Reed US House of Representatives District 2 Seth Magaziner Governor No endorsement was made Lieutenant Governor Xay Khamsyvoravong Secretary of State Gregg Amore General Treasurer James Diossa Attorney General Kim Ahern Charlestown Town Council Deborah Carney, Jill Fonnemann, and Cynthia Drummond Chariho School Committee Holly Eaves, Craig Louzon, and Linda Lyall

Thanks to all who attended our Summer Fundraiser

School Committee candidate Craig Louzon mans the grill.

Our next meeting date is September 2, 2026 Join us at the Charlestown Police Station at 6 PM. All registered Democrats are welcome!

If you'd like to donate to the Charlestown Democratic Committee, you may   Send checks payable to: Charlestown Democratic Town Committee P.O. Box 1088, Charlestown, RI 02813  or Scan the QR code  or Click the button below   DONATE

Volunteer for Tina Spears! Click here to help send Tina back to the State House.

Call for Volunteers Your Charlestown Democratic Town Committee needs you! We are looking for active participants who want to help support Democratic candidates and causes. If interested, visit charlestowndemocrats.org and click VOLUNTEER. Please consider joining us!

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The Charlestown Democratic Town Committee manages the affairs of the Democratic Party in the town of Charlestown, RI subject to RI Election Law, State Party rules and its own bylaws. We meet the first Wednesday of every month at 6:00 PM at the Charlestown Police Station. Any Charlestown registered Democrat is welcome to attend.

P.O. Box 1088, Charlestown RI 02813

Senator Reed blasts Trump's switching loyalty from South Korea to North Korea as "delusional"

Trump's favoritism toward North Korean despot Kim Jong Un based on ego

By Will Collette

The United Nations went to war with North Korea in 1950 after the North invaded South Korea. Of the estimated three million people who died in that war, 36,574 were American military. We still have almost 30,000 troops stationed in South Korea as a deterrent to another invasion.

Trump posted this on his website

For reasons that are far from clear, Donald Trump began a "relationship" with Kim Jong Un culminating in Trump's 2019 visit and photo op with Kim that rocketed North Korea from being an isolated rogue state to becoming a world power. North Korea continues to expand its stockpile of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles.
It has provided Russia with troops and weapons to continue its invasion of Ukraine. North Korea has helped Iran develop its missile technology and has publicly backed Iran in the current war with the US and Israel.

Yet, despite all this, Trump has decided to punish South Korea, our ally for 70+ years, because South Korea chose not to participate in Trump's illegal war against Iran. As he so often does, Trump posted this extraordinary foreign policy shift on his Truth Social website, screenshot below. 

.

Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) went after Trump during an interview with Peter Alexander on MSNOW (see video above).

Excerpts from Reed's remarks:

“The president, in that — this sense, is delusional. He has this egomania that says every powerful figure in the world is — must bow down to me. They do that. That’s exactly the approach he took to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, when he took over. The Ukrainians, he dismissed, he said, ‘You don’t have the cards,’ et cetera.”

“There was this relationship with Putin, and we know how that is going on. And it’s the same situation with North Korea. Kim Jong Un is not, I think, terribly impressed with Donald Trump. And withdrawing forces from Korea, canceling exercises, plays into his game.”

I'd love to hear from Trump's local MAGA supporters. I'd especially like to hear from Jim Mageau, Trump's most vocal Charlestown supporter. Mageau often references his Army service in South Korea in the years following the ceasefire with North Korea. 

Three weeks out, McKee is still 20 points behind Foulkes in governor’s race

Dan's in trouble

By Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current

McKee needs almost all the undecideds to go his way

Three weeks and a day out from the primary, Gov. Dan McKee has failed to narrow a 20-point gap with his Democratic gubernatorial challenger, Helena Buonanno Foulkes, a survey published Tuesday by The Pell Center at Salve Regina University finds. 

The poll of 857 likely primary voters echoes surveys by other organizations, which also showed Foulkes with a 20-point or higher lead over McKee. 

“There’s no strong surprises there,” said Katie Sonder, Pell Center associate director and fellow. “Helena Foulkes has been leading McKee over the last few months.”

The new survey is the Pell Center’s first 2026 election-specific poll, conducted Aug. 3 to 11 by Embold Research. The margin of error is 3.6%, with a 4.2% error margin for Democratic primary-specific questions.

Survey results were shared with Rhode Island Current in advance. 

More than 1 in 5 voters were still undecided at the time of the survey, which ended one day before the first televised gubernatorial debates. 

“With those undecideds, we could see it swing in either candidate’s direction,” Sonder said.

And the governor is “running strong,” said Sophie Mestas, a spokesperson for McKee’s campaign.

Join Senator Jack Reed to help re-elect Rep. Tina Spears

 

NEWS FROM THE RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN FOR TINA SPEARS

JULY 2026

You're Invited Saturday, August 8th

Join Tina and guest Senator Jack Reed

RSVP

FRIENDS,   Representing District 36 has been one of the great privileges of my life, and I'm asking for your help to keep doing this work together.   I'm thrilled that Senator Jack Reed will join us to kick off our efforts to Get Out The Vote and train volunteers for Election Day.   This September's primary will decide what comes next. I can't do it without you. Come join us for lunch, meet your neighbors and find out what you can do to help. No experience required, just bring yourself (and maybe a friend).   VOLUNTEER EVENT 12:30-1:30 Snacks and Beverages 1:30-2:00 PM Hear from Senator Jack Reed 2:00-3:00 PM Volunteer Training 3:00-5:00 PM Canvassing   RSVP Here. Location provided upon RSVP   Can't wait to see you there,

Get your yard sign! Contact Tina at tina@tinaspearsri.com or call Kathleen 401 439 4469 to get yours!

If you'd like to donate to Tina's re-eelction campaign, please make personal checks payable to: The Friends of Tina Spears 82 Hillside Drive Charlestown, RI 02813   Or click HERE to contribute online or scan the QR code

Want to volunteer on Tina's re-election campaign? Contact us here. We have lots of fun and we'll keep Tina in the State House!

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State law prohibits the acceptance of any corporate or business checks. Only individuals and RI registered PACs may contribute. RI law requires contributors to note place of employment. Contributions are limited to $2,000 per person per calendar year, and are not tax-deductible.