PROVIDENCE –
Gov. Daniel J. McKee's approval rating among state residents is tanking, according to a new poll.
The “Ocean State Poll,” conducted by The Survey Center at the University of New Hampshire found only 19% approved of McKee's job performance and nearly two-thirds of the 653 Rhode Islanders surveyed, 74%, said he should not run for reelection in November 2026.
The UNH Ocean State Poll in June 2024 had McKee’s approval rating at 42%.
The latest Ocean State Poll, released Thursday, is a sharp drop from last month’s Morning Consult Poll for McKee. That data research organization’s poll released on April 10 showed McKee having a 43% approval rating during the first quarter of 2025. It was a slight drop from the 44% approval rating McKee has in the fourth quarter of 2024.
Additionally, McKee’s disapproval rating at 41% in the Morning Consult poll was the fourth worst among U.S. governors and second worst in New England, below Maine Gov. Janet Mills.
In the most recent Ocean State poll, conducted by text message and online between May 22-26, o
nly 19% of Democrats, 2% of Republicans and 1% of independents say McKee should run for reelection.
Of the possible 2026 gubernatorial candidates, 32% said they would like to see 2022 candidate Helena Foulkes run for governor, 23% would like to see 2022 Republican nominee Ashley Kalus run and 19% said they would back former Gov. Gina Raimondo.
Among Democrats polled, 39% want Foulkes to run, 32% want Raimondo to run and only 13% want Kalus to run. Among independents, 24% want Foulkes to run, 21% want Kalus to run and only 7% want Raimondo to run. Among Republicans, 41% want Kalus to run, 23% want Foulkes to run and 3% want Raimondo to run.
When asked to name the most important problem facing the state, of those surveyed 23% of Rhode Islanders cite housing, 11% mention infrastructure, 10% mention the government being corrupt or incompetent, 9% each cite the state budget or jobs or the economy, and 7% mention the political left. Democrats are more likely to mention housing, independents are more likely to mention infrastructure or the state budget, and Republicans are more likely to mention the government being corrupt or incompetent, the political left and taxes.
The full poll can be found here.
