In the US, Dan McKee and Helena Foulkes will compete again in Rhode Island primaries — Fortune
In the US state of Rhode Island, Governor Dan McKee will again compete against Helena Foulkes in the Democratic primary on September 9, whom he narrowly defeated four years ago. The winner of the vote in the Democratic-dominated state will be the leading favorite in the general election, Fortune reports.
Foulkes, a former CVS Health executive, has raised more campaign funds than the incumbent governor and is actively running campaign advertisements. She said that people increasingly believe the state government serves influential groups and are also concerned about well-paid jobs.
Bridge repair at the center of the campaign
One of the main issues used to criticize McKee has been the repair of the Washington Bridge in Providence. In 2023, state authorities closed the bridge's westbound side after discovering a “critical failure.” The bridge is part of Interstate 195: it crosses the Seekonk River and connects Providence with East Providence, while also providing access to Massachusetts' south coast and Cape Cod.
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Nearly 100,000 vehicles used the bridge daily, and after the partial closure, all traffic was diverted onto the reconfigured eastbound side. Repairs are taking longer than initially expected, and project costs have increased; in an additional description, Fortune puts its cost at $571 million. McKee says the closure was necessary for safety, and the work is planned to be completed by 2028.
Mutual accusations by the candidates
McKee calls Foulkes a corporate executive out of touch with voters who is allegedly trying to buy the office. He also accuses her of contributing to the opioid crisis through her work at CVS. Foulkes rejects this claim and notes that during her leadership of CVS's pharmaceutical division, the company's opioid dispensing volumes fell by 40%.
In 2022, CVS, after Foulkes had already left the company, agreed to pay $5 billion to settle US lawsuits over the consequences of the opioid crisis without admitting wrongdoing. Foulkes also cites support from Democrats in McKee's hometown of Cumberland. At the same time, the Rhode Island Democratic Party and the state's AFL-CIO labor federation have not endorsed either candidate.
