PROVIDENCE – Gov. Daniel J. McKee holds a slight lead over R.I. Secretary of State Nellie M. Gorbea in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, though many voters remain undecided, according to a poll released late Tuesday from WPRI-TV CBS 12 and Roger Williams University.
R.I. Treasurer Seth Magaziner continues to greatly outpace other Democratic contenders for the U.S. House 2nd Congressional District seat, according to the poll.
McKee, who assumed the governor’s office after Gina M. Raimondo became the U.S. commerce secretary in early 2021, gained 28% of the approximately 400 likely Democratic primary voters who were polled from Aug. 7-10 by polling firm Fleming & Associates. McKee leads Gorbea by three percentage points in that race.
Former CVS Health Corp. executive Helena B. Foulkes received 14% of the poll vote, while former R.I. Secretary of State Matt Brown received 8% of the poll vote. Dr. Luis Daniel Muñoz garnered just 1% of the vote, while 21% remain unsure who they’ll vote for on Sept. 13.
Both McKee and Gorbea saw each of their polling numbers increase by 3% since the May figures came out. Foulkes’ polling numbers increased by 8% from May.
“The [gubernatorial] race is a toss up at this point,” veteran pollster Joseph Fleming said in a news release. “With 21% still undecided and 3% who refused to answer, that’s almost completely undecided and this race can change over the next four weeks.”
The latest poll results also show McKee’s favorability (53% total favorable impression) is higher than Gorbea’s (46% total favorable impression) and Foulkes’ (33% total favorable impression). In a tweet, McKee spokesperson Alana O’Hare said Tuesday’s numbers are “an encouraging indicator” that Rhode Islanders are “liking the progress being made” under the current governor.
“[D]rivers aren’t getting their car tax bill; Veterans, seniors & families are looking forward to well-deserved tax relief; and workers are back to work at good-paying jobs,” O’Hare tweeted. “Gov. McKee will continue doing what he has always done – showing leadership when it matters most to deliver results … on tax relief, gun safety, reproductive rights, & more.”
Gorbea Campaign Manager Dana Walton said in a statement that McKee had 18 months to prove himself in office and that the state “can do better.” Foulkes spokesperson Audrey Lucas said in a statement that both McKee and Gorbea’s poll numbers are “proof that Rhode Islanders are sick of the status quo and career politicians.”
Rhode Island Republican Party Chairwoman Susan Cienki in an emailed statement said the poll shows that there is “no enthusiasm” from primary voters for McKee or Gorbea, both of whom she labeled both as “political insiders.”
In advocating for Republican gubernatorial candidate Ashley Kalus, Cienki said Rhode Islanders need a “real leader who will fight for them, solve the broken education system, and make the Ocean State a first-class destination for small businesses to grow and thrive.”
In the congressional primary race, Magaziner leads with 37% of the poll vote, 29 percentage points ahead of both former Providence city councilor and state Rep. David Segal and Sarah Morgenthau, former deputy assistant secretary for travel and tourism with the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Clarendon Group CEO Joy E. Fox garnered 4% support, while Refugee Dream Center Founder Omar Bah got 3% of the poll vote. Spencer Dickenson, a former South Kingstown state representative, received 1% support in the poll.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
