Rhode Island governor 2026

Compare candidates running in this Rhode Island federal race. Review their positions, voting records, campaign promises, and donor information.

Robert Raimondo

Party: Republican

Elaine Pelino

Party: Republican

Aaron Guckian

Party: Republican

Gregory Stevens

Party: Democrat

Helena Buonanno Foulkes

Party: Democrat

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governor

Rhode Island governor

Election: Nov 3, 2026Updated: Apr 10, 2026
safe d— Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball

Rhode Island is a safe Democratic state and the general election is rated Solid Democratic by multiple analysts. However, McKee's historically low approval ratings and competitive Democratic primary make the primary (September 8, 2026) the real contest. A Foulkes victory in the primary would likely result in a Democratic governor; a McKee primary win would still favor Democrats in the general election given the state's strong Democratic lean.

Robert RaimondoR
Elaine PelinoR
Aaron GuckianR
Gregory StevensD
Helena Buonanno FoulkesD

Summary

Robert Raimondo, 58, is a North Kingstown Republican and political newcomer running for Governor in 2026. He claims to be a distant cousin of former Governor Gina Raimondo. He moved back to Rhode Island in October 2024 specifically to pursue his 'lifelong dream' of serving as state governor. His campaign kickoff on January 22, 2026, drew minimal attendance (two attendees beyond media). As of December 2025, he had not raised or spent any money per campaign finance reports.

Elaine Pelino is a retired comedian and Republican candidate for Governor in 2026. She unveiled a campaign website in July 2025 but has not held a formal kickoff event or promoted her campaign to the press. As of December 2025, she had raised just over $1,800 in fourth-quarter donations and ended the year with $2,840 cash on hand (including a $500 personal loan). She has criticized Ken Block for being indecisive, stating: 'While he's been talking about fixing the government in Rhode Island for years, I'm ready to do it.'

Aaron Guckian is a 49-year-old East Greenwich resident and Republican candidate for Governor in 2026. He previously served as a special assistant to former Governor Donald Carcieri (2003-2011) and has worked in various finance and development roles. He ran unsuccessfully for Lieutenant Governor in 2022, receiving 43% of the vote against Democrat Sabina Matos. Guckian holds a B.A. in music and education from Connecticut College and master's degrees in music and business administration. Prediction markets as of March 2026 showed him as the frontrunner for the Republican primary with 63-64% implied probability of winning.

Gregory Stevens is a lifelong Rhode Islander and restaurateur who founded Pat's Italian Restaurants, growing it into a multi-location business employing dozens of people. He is running as a non-establishment Democrat, emphasizing business experience, hands-on problem-solving, and a rejection of career politics. Stevens registered to vote in Rhode Island in November 2025, having moved to Wakefield four years earlier from Attleboro, Massachusetts. With no prior political experience, he is positioned as an outsider candidate focused on 'real people' and practical governance.

Helena Buonanno Foulkes is a former CVS Pharmacy executive who previously ran for governor in 2022, losing to McKee by 3 percentage points in the Democratic primary. A lifelong Rhode Islander, grandmother, cancer survivor, and wife of 36 years, Foulkes rose through CVS over 25 years to become President of its retail division. In that role, she removed tobacco from CVS shelves despite $2 billion in revenue. She is the niece of former U.S. Senator Chris Dodd and granddaughter of former U.S. Senator Thomas Dodd. Her 2026 campaign emphasizes restoring people's faith in government, criticizing McKee for 'incompetence,' and outlining detailed plans on housing, clean energy, transportation, and education. As of March 2026, she led McKee 34%-18% in polling among likely Democratic primary voters.

View Robert Raimondo's Full Profile →View Elaine Pelino's Full Profile →View Aaron Guckian's Full Profile →View Gregory Stevens's Full Profile →View Helena Buonanno Foulkes's Full Profile →

Campaign Promises

No campaign promises listed yet.

No campaign promises listed yet.

Other
  • Provide decisive leadership
Economy
  • Increase government efficiency without raising taxes
Public Safety
  • Fire RIDOT Director Peter Alviti and ensure accountability
Other
  • Hold utilities accountable for rate increases
  • Reform insurance industry practices
Healthcare
  • Address healthcare system failures
Housing
  • Build 20,000 affordable housing units
Economy
  • Fight for middle-class tax cut
Education
  • Fix COVID learning loss with before/after-school and summer programs
Public Safety
  • Fire RIDOT Director Peter Alviti and reform department oversight
Environment
  • Hold Rhode Island Energy accountable for rate increases

Key Issue Positions

No key issues listed yet.

No key issues listed yet.

Republican Primary Competition
Criticized Ken Block's independent run as lack of commitment
Guckian stated: 'This is not the time for exploratory committees, distractions, or candidates testing the waters. This is the time to galvanize and move forward.'
Government Efficiency
Believes inefficiency is primary problem, not tax insufficiency
$80B annual state GDP; $6B visitor spending; yet state still struggles with budgets; believes systemic efficiency gains can solve problems
Clean Energy vs. Progress
Pragmatic progressive; support clean energy and innovation
Electric vehicles coming; can't stop progress; Rhode Island should lead clean energy; wants tech companies and high-paying careers, not warehouse jobs
Economic Growth and Cost Controls
Focus on efficiency and accountability in business regulation
Red tape for opening businesses; high cost of doing business; utility transparency; insurance accountability
Housing Affordability and Supply
Critical of McKee's housing record; advocates aggressive building
Claims Rhode Island is 50th in housing starts; McKee's $120M bond will only produce 600 homes; Foulkes proposes 20,000 units via modular construction, reduced red tape, state property utilization
RIDOT and Washington Bridge Accountability
Demands leadership change and structural reform
Calls for firing Alviti; establishing Office of Safety and Accountability; bringing engineering oversight in-house; refuses to shield state from accountability claims
Clean Energy vs. Cost
Rejects McKee's 'false choice' framing
Argues renewables are cheapest energy source; proposes $40M solar/battery program, solar on 250 schools, utility accountability, interconnection backlog fix; opposes 2030-to-2050 renewable deadline delay
Government Accountability and Competence
Central criticism of McKee; calls for inspector general and better management
Criticizes McKee for 'incompetence or corruption'; state not working for people; budget bloat; proposed inspector general; fire education commissioner; return school control to Providence/Central Falls

Top Donors

No donor data available.

No donor data available.

No donor data available.

No donor data available.

No donor data available.

Contradictions

No contradictions documented.

No contradictions documented.

No contradictions documented.

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No contradictions documented.

What Opponents Say

No opponent claims documented.

Ken Block

Pelino has been 'talking about fixing the government' but is not ready

Pelino's criticism of Block; claiming she is the one ready to act

Ken Block

Guckian is not a serious candidate; willing to go 'willy-nilly' without proper research and evidence of success

April 2026 response to Guckian's criticism of Block's independent candidacy

Dan McKee

Stevens hasn't seen much change happen under McKee

Stevens' own position when asked about McKee; not an opponent claim per se

Dan McKee

Foulkes was president of CVS during opioid epidemic and CVS fueled the crisis; 1,190 overdose deaths in Rhode Island during her tenure

Attack ad released September 2025 morning of Foulkes' campaign announcement; continued December 2025 after Dodd fundraiser

Dan McKee

Foulkes has family ties to pharmaceutical industry (uncle Chris Dodd connection to Purdue Pharma/Sacklers)

Campaign attacks December 2025; McKee campaign statement: 'Helena Foulkes and Chris Dodd both had a choice when it came to Purdue Pharma and the Sacklers — and they both chose profits over saving lives'

Ashley Kalus (2022 GOP nominee)

Foulkes is 'the worst kind of political opportunism' for entering race day after Hasbro relocation announcement

September 2025; Kalus commenting on Foulkes' campaign announcement timing

Endorsements

No endorsements listed.

No endorsements listed.

Mayor Ken Hopkinsindividual

No endorsements listed.

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronhaindividual
Providence Mayor Brett Smileyindividual