The calendar may say Rhode Island’s gubernatorial election is two years away – but make no mistake it is gearing up, and the cash register is ringing.
Gov. Dan McKee and his Democratic rival, Helena Buonanno Foulkes, both had very productive second quarters, each raising about a quarter of a million dollars from hundreds of individual donors.
McKee, technically in his first elected term as governor (he was elected to the position in 2022 but took over the position two years earlier when Gov. Raimondo joined the Biden administration) has the unique possibility of serving for as long as 10 years in the position. Rhode Island has a two-term limit for general officers, with terms of four years. Because McKee filled out Raimondo’s first term, moving up from lieutenant governor, that time does not count as an elected term.
Foulkes, the former CVS executive, was closing fast in the 2022 primary, but time ran out and she finished a close second to McKee. Since then, various sources have said she’s been actively soliciting support, and it shows on her latest campaign finance report.
Those reports, for the second quarter, were due at the end of July.
WhatsUpNewp looked at the campaign finance reports for McKee and Foulkes, the Congressional candidates, and those running for legislature, council and school committee positions in the Newport County area.
We also looked at the champion fundraiser in Rhode Island, House Speaker Joe Shekarchi, D- Warwick, who has no opponent, and currently has more than $2.8 million in his campaign fund. Here’s a look at some of the races and candidates:
- Governor:
- Governor McKee, who first ran for office in 2002 for mayor/administrator in Lincoln, RI, raised $242,522 in individual donations and $9,550 from Political Action Committees in the second quarter. After expenses during the quarter, McKee’s fund balance (including past donations) is $421,353. It also shows that he’s loaned his campaigns $90,688 from 2002 to 2022, with $21,923 still not repaid.
- Foulkes raised $212,522 in individual donations and $500 from Political Action Committees in the second quarter. After expenses, her fund balance (which includes previous donations) is $469,601. From Dec. 30, 2021 to November 29, 2022, Foulkes’ campaign report shows she’s loaned her campaign $1,835,000, with none of it repaid.
- U.S. Senate
- Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, D, who is running for reelection this year has $3,724,328 cash on hand at the end of the second quarter, according to the Federal Elections Commission, after distributions of $2,934,027. The FEC lists a Democratic primary opponent, Michael Costa, but shows zero in any campaign finance activity.
- West Warwick Republican Patricia Morgan, a 12-year veteran of the state House of Representatives, is in a Republican primary for the Senate nomination against Raymond McKay, a former Network / Telecom Manager for the City of Warwick. According to the FEC, Morgan has cash on hand of $137,094 after distributions of $65,443, and McKay has $16,120 on hand after distributions of $100,787.
- U.S. House of Representatives, District One.
- U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo, D, who was elected to fill the seat vacated by David Cicillini, who is now executive director of the Rhode Island Foundation, has a fund balance of $779,216, after expenditures of $1,177,917, according to the FEC.. His Republican opponent is Allen R. Waters, who has run for several offices in the past from both parties, has a fund balance of $4,025, after expenditures of $13,284, according to the FEC.
- U.S. House of Representatives, District Two.
- U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner, D, has a fund balance of $1,019,279, after expenditures of $567,000, according to the FEC. The Republican candidate, listed by the FEC as Steven Corvi, shows no financial information
- State Senate
- Walter Felag, D – Dist. 10, Tiverton, Warren has a fund balance of $64,856. He network / Telecom Manager at City of Warwick City Hallis facing Republican Allyn E. Meyers, whose fund balance is $3,160.
- Linda Ujifusa, D – Dist. 11, Bristol, Portsmouth has a fund balance of $6,330. She is unopposed.
- Lou DiPalma, D – Dist. 12, Little Compton, Middletown, has a fund balance of $96,900. He is unopposed.
- Dawn Euer, D – Dist. 13, Newport, Jamestown, has a fund balance of $53,626. She is opposed by Republican David A. Quiroa, who reported $58 in his campaign account.
- State House of Representatives
- John Edwards, D – Dist. 70, Tiverton, has a fund balance of $91,800. He is opposed by Republican Christopher Borden, who reported a fund balance of $72.
- Michelle McGaw, D – Dist. 71, Portsmouth, Tiverton, Little Compton, has a fund balance of $20,292. She is unopposed.
- Terri-Denise Cortvriend, D – Dist. 72, Middletown, Portsmouth, has a fund balance of $25,343. She is unopposed.
- Marvin Abney, D – Dist. 73, Middletown, Newport, has a fund balance of $255,933. Abney is the House finance chair. He is unopposed.
- Alex Finkelman, D – Dist. 74, Jamestown, Middletown, has a fund balance of $56,211. He is unopposed.
- Lauren Carson, D – Dist. 75, Newport, has a fund balance of $33,902.
- Other local elections
- Most candidates for local town or city councils and school committees raise a relatively small amount of campaign dollars, many not reporting any revenue. There are some exceptions where candidates raise a few thousand dollars, but not more than two or three thousand dollars.
- There are a couple of exceptions, both in Newport and both for City Council at-large:
- Councilman Charles M. Holder reported a fund balance of $8,334.
- Newport Mayor Xaykham Rexford Khamsyvoravong, reported a fund balance of $62,8906.
