2 days ago
McKee staffs up for 2026 reelection campaign
Gov. Dan McKee has tapped two out-of-state political staffers to work for his 2026 reelection campaign. (Photo by Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current)
Fresh off new, unfavorable polling numbers on his job performance, Gov. Dan McKee has tapped out-of-state talent to aid in his 2026 reelection campaign, including a former staffer to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Rob Silverstein, who most recently served as Hochul's policy director, and before that, as her deputy campaign manager, will now manage McKee's 2026 campaign. Neil Spencer will serve as his campaign finance director, following eight years with the Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee.
'I'm excited to have a strong team of talented operatives to run my re-election campaign,' McKee said in a statement. 'Nobody will outwork us on the trail, and Rob and Neil embody that ethos. With their experiences on highly competitive races and excellent track records of success in state campaigns, I am confident that we are well-positioned to continue delivering results for Rhode Island for years to come.'
The sitting governor is the only candidate to confirm their intent to run in the 2026 gubernatorial race, with a two-minute spot released on March 3. His 2022 Democratic primary rival, Helena Buonanno Foulkes, appears to be readying for a comeback challenge against McKee, having already begun growing her campaign war chest.
Other rumored, but unconfirmed candidates include House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi and 2022 Republican gubernatorial candidate Ashley Kalus, who bought a home in Providence this year, WPRI-TV 12 reported.
McKee's new campaign hires were announced Monday, four days after a University of New Hampshire poll in which McKee scored a 19% approval rating among a survey of 653 Rhode Island residents. The dismal view of his job performance was accompanied by weak support for his reelection bid; just 11% of those surveyed thought the four-year incumbent deserved to win the 2026 race, compared with 74% who thought he did not deserve to win re-election.
Even among his own party, fewer than one in five survey respondents supported McKee's reelection campaign, according to the UNH poll. Meanwhile, 39% of Democrats surveyed expressed support for Foulkes to run, while 32% backed former Gov. Gina Raimondo, who left during her second term as governor to become U.S. Commerce Secretary.
Since leaving the federal administration in January, Raimondo has joined the Council on Foreign Relations in D.C. as a distinguished fellow and co-chair of a task force on economic security. She also expressed interest in a 2028 presidential run during an interview with David Axelrod in Chicago in April.
Silverstein declined to comment on the UNH poll results in a brief interview Wednesday, referring to the governor's previous comments to other news outlets in which he shrugged off the survey as an 'outlying poll.'
A New York native, Silverstein has nearly a decade of political experience in campaigns in local, state and federal races across the country. He earned high marks from Hochul for his work on her campaign and in elected office over the past four years.
'Rob Silverstein has been a key member of our team, bringing sharp political instincts, tireless commitment, and a deep understanding of what it takes to win tough races,' Hochul said in a statement. 'Rob has been instrumental in building a stronger Democratic Party in New York and played a critical role in our success flipping key House seats last year. Governor McKee is gaining a skilled and strategic leader, and I'm proud to call Rob a trusted former member of my team.'
Like McKee, Hochul was thrust into the top state leadership role from lieutenant governor in 2021. Her ascension to the governor seat was prompted by the unexpected resignation of Andrew Cuomo.
Silverstein has a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University and a master's degree in public administration from Columbia University.
Spencer comes to Rhode Island from his native Florida, where he attended Florida State University for his bachelor's degree and a master's in the university's Applied American Politics and Policy program. During his eight years working for Florida House Democrats, he set multiple fundraising records, including $5 million raised in 2022 and more than $9 million raised in 2024.
'The institutional knowledge Neil built up with the Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee allowed us to build momentum and set new fundraising records cycle after cycle, and Neil's strategic vision and dedication have made him one of the most successful finance directors in Florida legislative politics,' Florida House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell said in a statement.
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