Latest news with #DanMcKee
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Rhode Islanders take dim view of state's economy, McKee in new polls
U.S. News & World Report's 'Best States for 2025' rankings placed Rhode Island 24th overall—a 10-spot jump since Gov. Dan McKee took office in 2021. But a new poll showing 19% of respondents approved of McKee's job performance — a drop of 10 points from a year ago. (Photos by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) Few Rhode Islanders think they are better off financially so far in 2025 compared to last year — and not many think Gov. Dan McKee is doing a good job, according to new polling from the University of New Hampshire (UNH). The latest Ocean State poll found only 15% of 653 Rhode Island residents surveyed between May 22 and 26 believed they were doing better than in 2024. Another 40% said their finances were the same, while only 45% believed they were doing worse. UNH's poll has a 3.8% margin of error. The top reason for financial concern was an expectation of higher prices and inflation, which was cited by 87% of those who believe they will be worse off by 2026. Rhode Islanders polled also remained pessimistic about making future investments, with only a quarter of respondents saying now is a good time to play the stock market. Only 19% said they felt that now is a good time to look for a new job. UNH's economic survey comes just a day after releasing a poll showing 19% of respondents approved of McKee's job performance — a drop of 10 points from a year ago. It's an even sharper drop from a Morning Consult poll released in mid-April, which gave McKee a 43% approval rating and the fourth-highest disapproval rating among the nation's 50 governors. About 74% of the Rhode Islanders polled by UNH said the governor should not run for reelection in 2026. That includes 60% of Democrats surveyed. McKee made his re-election bid official in March and remains the only candidate to officially throw his hat in the ring. But a significant chunk of those polled may be interested in seeing former CVS executive Helena Buonanno Foulkes run again. She lost to McKee by 3 percentage points in a five-way Democratic gubernatorial primary in September 2022. UNH's poll found that 32% of respondents want Foulkes to enter the 2026 race. Foulkes' campaign manager, Jon Romano, celebrated the survey. 'What this poll reveals is what Helena is hearing in every corner of our state: Rhode Islanders know the current system has failed them, they're dissatisfied with state leadership and the direction of our state, and they're demanding the kind of meaningful change that will finally put their needs first,' Romano said in an emailed statement. McKee campaign spokesperson Mike Trainor declined to comment on UNH's poll. But the governor has proudly proclaimed the state has improved under his tenure, citing Rhode Island's 24th overall spot in the latest U.S. News & World Report 'Best States' ranking — a 10-spot jump since the governor ascended to the job in 2021. The ranking specifically had Rhode Island's economy climbing 12 places from 28 to 16 between 2021 and 2025. Rhode Island is currently ranked #8 in the 'Business Environment' subcategory, up one from 2024. In the past year alone, the state jumped 18 places to reach #14 in the 'Growth' subcategory. Another 23% of those polled by UNH are open to former Republican candidate Ashley Kalus running again, while 19% are open to former Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo returning to the State House. President Trump's job approval in Rhode Island fell slightly. The latest poll had 37% approving and 61% disapproving of his job as president with 2% unsure. That's down from 40% approving and 59% disapproving with 1% unsure a year ago. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Nesi's Notes: May 31
Happy Saturday! Here's another edition of my weekend column for — as always, send your takes, tips and trial balloons to tnesi@ and follow me on Twitter, Bluesky and Facebook. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 1. For Dan McKee, there's no sugarcoating the new UNH poll; a 19% job approval rating is dismal. But it's also much worse than the 43% approval rating McKee scored in a survey conducted last winter by Morning Consult, or the 36% he had in a YouGov survey in March. Could UNH be an outlier? It's possible. But our political analyst Joe Fleming says even if that's the case, McKee should be worried: 'Being between 19% and 43% is not good if you're an incumbent running for reelection.' At 19%, McKee would be in the same disastrous range once tested by Lincoln Chafee, who polled as low as 22% during his term. Chafee abandoned his reelection bid a year before the primary — which would be a few months from now in McKee's case. But there are other analogues, too. Bruce Sundlun's job approval was at 26% in a Brown poll a year out from his 1994 reelection bid, but Sundlun stayed in to the bitter end, losing that year's Democratic primary to Myrth York 57% to 28%. McKee supporters often cite his predecessor, Gina Raimondo, as a more hopeful case — she regularly polled in the 30s, yet won another term fairly easily in 2018. Fleming says it's a useful reminder that polls surveying the general public only tell you so much about what will happen in the next election. In McKee's case, his team is focused on the much smaller subset of voters who will vote in a Democratic primary pitting him against Helena Foulkes. Even there, though, UNH gives cause for alarm. Among registered Democrats, just 16% think McKee deserves to be reelected, while 45% are already open to Foulkes and many more haven't formed an opinion about her yet. 2. That said, it would be a mistake to focus solely on a Dan McKee–Helena Foulkes rematch as the only scenario that could play out next year. If McKee decides to retire, other Democrats are sure to consider a run for the open seat — House Speaker Joe Shekarchi and Secretary of State Gregg Amore spring right to mind, but don't rule out others in such an altered landscape. Attorney General Peter Neronha continues to publicly mull a run, too, saying on this week's Newsmakers that he will make a final decision over the summer. As Joe Fleming noted to me, a multi-candidate primary field could be a boon to McKee if he decides to stay in; the multiplicity of candidates was the reason McKee only needed 33% of the vote to secure the Democratic nomination and a glide path to a full term in 2022. But other potential candidates are well aware of that dynamic, and with Foulkes likely to run no matter what, it would likely give them pause. All of this is already being avidly discussed by political insiders behind the scenes, and those conversations will only heat up once the legislative session comes to an end. 3. Gina Raimondo may want to run for president, but skeptics now have a fresh data point to make the case against her: the UNH poll has 77% of Rhode Island voters saying they definitely or probably don't want Raimondo to return as governor. 4. Other interesting findings from UNH … Senator Reed looks like a safe bet for another term, with 54% of voters saying he deserves reelection; only 33% of Massachusetts voters say the same about Senator Markey … opinions of President Trump are so locked in that his job approval rating has barely budged … one in four Rhode Island voters say no issue is more important than the housing crisis … just 15% say their household finances are better off compared with 12 months ago … there is majority support for 'banning the sale and manufacture of firearms with military-style features.' 5. AG Neronha's big health policy rollout on Wednesday had a number of interesting pieces, from a lawsuit against pharmacy benefit managers like CVS to a bill that would let him put financially distressed hospitals into receivership. But no part of the plan is getting more attention than his call for Rhode Island lawmakers to immediately raise the state Medicaid program's payment rates for primary care to equal what Medicare pays at the federal level. Neronha says a conservative estimate of the cost in state dollars is $50 million — not exactly Washington Bridge money, but still a big ask in a tight budget year. Under current rates, Neronha says, a commercial insurer in Rhode Island pays $200 for a PCP visit, while Medicare pays $100 and Medicaid pays just $37. 'Fixing it is not optional, so when we budget — even if it means going back to the drawing board — we've got to find this money for primary care in particular now or our system will fail. It will fail,' Neronha said on Newsmakers. 6. If AG Neronha's proposal to boost in Medicaid rates is the most immediate fix on offer to address Rhode Island's primary care crisis, the Senate's idea of establishing a public medical school at URI is the most long-term. A draft report was released Friday, laying out how much it could cost to get such a school up and running ($225 million) and how soon the first graduates might have their degrees (about a decade from now). More details in this story. 7. The push for a big investment in primary care goes on the list of issues to watch in the final weeks of the Assembly session. Lawmakers are currently a little behind last year's pace, when the House budget bill came out on May 31, but that's fairly typical for a non-election year when Assembly leaders aren't in as much of a rush to adjourn. There are signs things are moving, though. A revised version of the year's most high-profile bill, the Rhode Island Assault Weapons Ban Act, just got posted for a Tuesday vote in the House Judiciary Committee. And Senate Majority Leader Frank Ciccone's bill to expand online sports gambling options is up for a vote Monday. A fierce battle is being waged over the 'bottle bill' to create a deposit system for recycling, with a group called the Coalition for High Performance Recycling starting radio ads Monday urging lawmakers to pair it with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), a policy opposed by some industry players. House Republicans are making a late push to repeal some energy mandates. Then there's the budget, with progressive groups putting on a full-court press to get lawmakers to raise taxes on upper-income earners to bring in some extra revenue. Speaker Shekarchi has been floating the possibility of having lawmakers come back in the fall if the tax hike doesn't make the budget and more money is needed. Lots to watch. 8. One smart Smith Hill observer on Friday pointed out to me a new dynamic when it comes to the timing of the end of session: the establishment of Juneteenth as a state holiday means there is now one fewer weekday in June to wrap up legislative business. 9. For all the talk about Rhode Island's (very real) fiscal challenges, the Wall Street rating agencies have strong faith in the state's ability and willingness to pay its bills. Fitch Ratings on Wednesday upgraded the state's bond rating, which the firm said 'reflects Rhode Island's declining long-term liability burden as a share of personal income, supported by improvements in debt management and growing financial relief from pension changes enacted more than a decade ago.' (S&P and Moody's have also maintained the state's credit rating.) A spokesperson for Governor McKee argued the move by Fitch vindicates 'the McKee administration's cautious and disciplined fiscal management, improved long-term liability outlook, and consistent use of conservative budgeting with strong spending controls.' That approach will be tested in the coming years, as deficits get worse and the pension fund's improving health increases pressure to boost retirement benefits. 10. There is always so much chatter about Peter Neronha's own political future that it can overshadow another big race involving the AG — next year's contest to succeed him. State Rep. Jason Knight, state Sen. Dawn Euer and state Rep. Bob Craven are all frequently mentioned as potential Democratic candidates. Neronha himself could influence the race if he decides to endorse a successor, though he said on Newsmakers he hasn't made up his mind about whether to do so, partly because he doesn't know who will run. Neronha did name two people he'd endorse 'in a heartbeat' if they jumped into the race — former U.S. Attorney Zach Cunha or Deputy AG Adi Goldstein — but so far neither one has indicated plans to jump in. 11. The field is set in the special election to replace the late Dominick Ruggerio representing Senate District 4 in North Providence and Providence. Our Ray Baccari has a breakdown here of the six candidates who filed by Friday's deadline. The primary election is July 8 and the special election is Aug. 5. 12. The House's 55-17 approval of the bill to let Providence raise taxes above the state limit suggests Mayor Smiley should eventually be able to get the measure through the Senate, too, though the slow timing in the upper chamber could jeopardize tax bills getting out on time. Meantime, if you think Providence's proposed 7.5% tax hike is high, Little Compton is seeking permission for an increase of 12%. 13 Next Friday is going to be a big day in the Washington Bridge saga. 14. Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell — a newly minted South Coast resident since her move to Dartmouth — will hold a campaign fundraiser on Tuesday in New Bedford, per an invitation passed along by a Nesi's Notes tipster. A spokesperson didn't respond to inquiries about the event, but Campbell is up for reelection next year. Any effort to deepen her political ties in the region adds a little more intrigue to speculation that Campbell might someday be a candidate to succeed Congressman Keating. 15. They say there's always a Rhode Island angle, and that includes New Jersey's upcoming gubernatorial primary on June 10. Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill appears to be the favorite to win the Democratic nomination, but one of her chief rivals, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, owns a $4 million oceanfront home in Narragansett (his wife's hometown). But Fulop isn't just another out-of-stater with a summer residence here like Taylor Swift. He made headlines in 2021 when The Boston Globe reported that he'd lambasted a member of the Town Council during a virtual meeting as Narragansett officials were considering whether to allow more public parking near his home. 16. People in the news … Brown University President Christina Paxson has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep her at the helm into 2028 … Congressman Auchincloss will be on 'Fox News Sunday' this weekend … Bob Rapoza has been nominated to the R.I. Board of Elections; he was previously the board's executive director … New Bridges for Haitian Success founder Bernard Georges has been nominated to the RIPTA board … the American Hotel & Lodging Association's Sarah Bratko has been nominated to the R.I. Convention Center Authority … former One Neighborhood Builders CEO Jennifer Hawkins will be the new chief executive of Avesta Housing in Maine … condolences to the family and friends of Belvoir Properties CEO Jim Winoker, who has died at age 93. 17. Weekend reads … Ellen Liberman on the problems facing Rhode Island nursing homes … Michelle San Miguel and Jeremy Bernfeld on fresh questions about inspections of the Washington Bridge … Patrick Anderson on the Superman Building state of play … Christopher Allen on the state's tourism strategy … Sam Graham-Felsen on the challenge of male friendship. 18. Fire up 12+ on your smart TV or set your DVRs: This week on Newsmakers — AG Neronha. Watch Sunday at 5:30 a.m. on WPRI 12 and 10 a.m. on Fox Providence, or listen on the radio Sunday at 6 p.m. on WPRO. You can also subscribe to Newsmakers as a podcast via Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. See you back here next Saturday. Ted Nesi (tnesi@ is a Target 12 investigative reporter and 12 News politics/business editor. He co-hosts Newsmakers and writes Nesi's Notes on Saturdays. Connect with him on Twitter, Bluesky and Facebook. Prefer your Newsmakers on the go?Subscribe to our podcast!Apple | Spotify Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Republicans' Chances of Beating Dan McKee for Rhode Island Governor—Poll
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A new poll delivered red flags for Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee, a Democrat, ahead of his reelection bid next year. Why It Matters The poll, conducted by the University of New Hampshire, suggests that a majority of Rhode Islanders are unhappy with McKee's leadership ahead of the 2026 midterms, when Republicans could be eyeing the race as a potential opportunity to flip, despite the state's long-standing record of being solidly Democratic. Although the poll did not ask about specific head-to-head matchups for the election, the results could be troubling for Democrats in the state. The state has not elected a Republican governor since 2006, though it did support independent former Governor Lincoln Chafee in 2011. Newsweek reached out to McKee's campaign via email for comment. What to Know Only 19 percent of Rhode Islanders approve of McKee's job performance, while 71 percent disapprove of him, according to the survey of 653 Rhode Island residents from May 22 to May 26, 2025. The poll had a margin of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points. It found that 74 percent of all Rhode Island voters—including 60 percent of Democrats—do not believe McKee deserves to be reelected; only 11 percent said they think he deserves to be reelected. Thirty-two percent of respondents said they want to see Democrat Helena Foulkes, a businesswoman who challenged McKee in 2022, to run again, while 23 percent said they want Republican Ashley Kalus to jump into the race. Only 19 percent said they want to see former Governor Gina Raimondo, who served as Commerce secretary under former President Joe Biden, run. At the same time, the poll found that President Donald Trump is also unpopular in the state. Only 37 percent of respondents gave him positive marks, compared to 61 percent who disapproved of his performance during his first few months back in the Oval Office. Joe Powers, chairman of the Rhode Island Republican Party, described the poll as a "glaring reflection of the Governor's failed leadership and the growing dissatisfaction among Rhode Islanders" in a statement to Newsweek, pointing to the closure of the Washington Bridge, pay raises for the governor's cabinet and the sanctuary state designation as key issues the state is facing. "The upcoming 2026 gubernatorial race, while traditionally leaning Democratic, is poised to be highly competitive. The Republican Party of Rhode Island is committed to presenting a viable alternative—one that prioritizes transparency, fiscal responsibility, and the genuine needs of our citizens," he said. Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee meets with then-Vice President Kamala Harris in Warwick, Rhode Island, on May 5, 2021. Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee meets with then-Vice President Kamala Harris in Warwick, Rhode Island, on May 5, 2021. MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images While McKee remains unpopular, according to the poll, a Republican victory in the state may not be an easy feat, given the state's Democratic lean. It backed Vice President Kamala Harris by nearly 14 points in 2024 and voted for Biden by more than 20 points in 2020. On the presidential level, Rhode Island has not voted for a Republican since 1984. McKee, who assumed office after Raimondo resigned to join the Biden administration, won his first full term in office in 2022, defeating Kalus by nearly 20 points. What People Are Saying WPRI political analyst Joe Fleming told the Providence-based news station: "The governor has some serious work to do over the next six months or so to show voters that he's doing a good job and deserves reelection. If he can't do that, I think you'll see Democrats lining up to run for the office." McKee told WJAR in March: "I think that we've made a great deal of progress, keeping people safe during the COVID certainly was important, opening the businesses at that time. Keeping people safe when I shut down the bridge, the Washington Bridge, and now we're actually in the process of rebuilding that bridge and have the money in place." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether McKee will face a primary challenge from fellow Democrats or which Republicans may enter the race. The primary is still more than a year away on September 8, 2026. The Cook Political Report currently classifies the race as being Solid Democratic, though Sabato's Crystal Ball classifies it as Likely Democratic.
Boston Globe
3 days ago
- Health
- Boston Globe
Primary care is in crisis — and Rhode Island can't delay addressing it any longer
Advertisement Primary care providers are being asked to do more than ever before: manage complex chronic conditions, integrate behavioral health services, address social needs, and navigate fragmented systems. But they're doing it with fewer staff, declining reimbursement, and an unsustainable administrative load — particularly prior authorization and denials that delay or block needed care. Get Rhode Island News Alerts Sign up to get breaking news and interesting stories from Rhode Island in your inbox each weekday. Enter Email Sign Up There are efforts underway. The Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner has taken meaningful steps to highlight the value of primary care. Governor Dan McKee and the Executive Office of Health and Human Services have included targeted investments in the state budget. Advertisement We can't fix this overnight, but we can take meaningful steps now. Increasing Medicaid rates, removing prior authorization barriers, and creating a safe harbor for physicians seeking mental health support won't solve everything, but they will keep more doors from closing while we work toward a better system. House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi and Senate President Valarie Lawson have both said that fixing health care is a top priority. Now we need to see that commitment reflected in action. Legislative and budget decisions made in the coming weeks will determine whether we're managing decline, or rebuilding the foundation we know we can't do without. This isn't just about physicians. It's about every Rhode Islander who has been told to wait six months for an appointment. It's about children overdue for physicals and older adults unable to refill a prescription. The erosion of primary care affects all of us — regardless of income, ZIP code, or insurance status. Rhode Island has the tools and talent to lead the nation in building a stronger, more equitable primary care system — one that respects clinicians, pays for what matters, and removes the bureaucratic roadblocks between patients and care. But we have to choose to act — and that time is now. The real fix will take time, funding, and the political will to follow through. But the longer we wait, the harder it will be to rebuild. If we don't act, we won't just lose practices — we'll lose the foundation of health care in Rhode Island. Advertisement Dr. Peter Hollmann is a board member of the Rhode Island Medical Society.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Poll finds McKee's approval rating slides to 19%, while that same number want Raimondo back
Only 19% of Rhode Island voters approve of the job Gov. Dan McKee is doing, according to a new University of New Hampshire poll. The poll of 653 Rhode Island residents was conducted online and through text message between May 22 and May 26. It found 32% of respondents want former CVS Pharmacy executive Helena Foulkes to run for governor, 23% want former Republican nominee Ashley Kalus to run and 19% want former governor and U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to run. Of those three, Foulkes has said she expects to run, Kalus has said she is considering it, and there is no indication Raimondo is seeking to return to Smith Hill. McKee's 19% job approval rating in May declined from 23% in a March UNH poll, and 71% of respondents disapproved of the job he is doing. The survey separately asked voters whether McKee should be reelected next year. Only 11% said he should, versus 74% who said he should not be reelected in 2026. The poll said 60% of self-identified Democrats said McKee should not be reelected in 2026, 88% of independents didn't want him to seek another term and 92% of Republicans. By contrast, 54% of Rhode Islanders polled said U.S. Sen. Jack Reed deserves reelection in 2026 and 33% said he does not deserve reelection. The poll also asked whether voters wanted to ban military-style firearms, with 55% of respondents saying they support banning so-called assault weapons and 37% against such a ban. Thirty-seven percent of Rhode Island poll respondents approved of the job President Donald Trump is doing and 61% disapproved. In March, UNH found Trump's Rhode Island job approval rating was 40% with 59% disapproving of the job he is doing. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: In RI, Gov. Dan McKee sees approval rating slide, along with Trump's
