PROVIDENCE – R.I. Attorney General Peter F. Neronha, who has widely been viewed as a potential gubernatorial candidate, announced Friday that he will not run for governor.
Neronha said he would step away from politics at the end of his second term as the state’s Attorney General next year. The announcement came eight years on the day Neronha entered politics via a bid for Attorney General.
“I am grateful to Rhode Islanders for electing me twice as their Attorney General, and for the encouragement of many to run for some other office in 2026,” Neronha said in a statement. “But attorney general is the only elected office I have ever been truly interested in, and politics for me was a means to an end, not an end in and of itself.”
Neronha, who is now 61, noted the decision to move on from politics came after discussions with his wife and sons.
“That said, there remains so much more to do in the next year or so as your Attorney General,” Neronha said. “The fight for Rhode Islanders continues, and it will continue to have all my focus, energy, and commitment.”
Had he entered the race, Neronha would face fellow Democrats Gov. Daniel J. McKee and former CVS Health Corp. executive Helena Foulkes.
A University of Rhode Island poll released Sept. 15 showed Neronha earned 15% of the vote in a hypothetical race among potential gubernatorial candidates. McKee led the results with 18.5% of the vote, Foulkes was third with 14.3% and House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi earned 7.3%. Shekarchi has not announced if he is running for governor.
Neronha had raised $119,203 through the second quarter this year ending June 30, according to campaign finance documents filed with the state Board of Elections filed July 31. Meanwhile, McKee had raised $879,207, Foulkes had $2.1 million and Shekarchi had about $3.86 million raised through the second quarter this year.
Neronha told Providence Business News earlier this year he would have a decision whether he is running for governor by the end of the summer.
“I think that there are things that need fixing [in government], and I feel like that certainly I could play a role there,” Neronha said in a July cover story. “As governor, you have an opportunity to lead if you choose to do so. So, there’s an opportunity to fix things. I like fixing things. I like building teams, but what I ultimately decide to do, I’m not certain yet.”
Neronha has been outspoken on issues including the state’s health care challenges as well as defending diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace – arguably more vocal than any attorney general before him.
In May, he unveiled several initiatives – including a new state agency, lawsuit against CVS and proposed law to raise Medicaid reimbursement rates – aimed at healing the state’s ailing health care system.
He has joined and filed many lawsuits to fight actions by Republican President Donald Trump’s administration. He has also publicly quarreled with McKee, a fellow democrat. Neronha acknowledged his office’s investigation into McKee’s administration awarding a contract to the ILO Group played a role in the deterioration of their relationship.
Neronha, who is term-limited as attorney general, served as U.S. attorney for the District of Rhode Island from 2009 to 2017 and was first elected attorney general in 2018 and reelected in 2022.
Neronha’s office said he was not available for an interview on his decision not to run for governor Friday.
Katie Castellani is a PBN staff writer. You may contact her at Castellani@PBN.com.
