New Survey Results: Foulkes leads McKee in Governor’s race as Reed holds strong Senate lead while other races remain uncertain
Helena Foulkes leads in Democratic primary for RI Governor and Incumbent Senator Jack Reed receives strong support in his Senate race, but likely voters remain undecided in down-ballot, statewide races.
Helena Foulkes (48%) leads incumbent Governor Dan McKee (28%) in the Democratic primary for Rhode Island governor, according to a new survey from Salve Regina University’s Pell Center. The survey was directed by Pell Center Associate Director and Fellow Katie Sonder and fielded by Embold Research between August 3-11, 2026. It surveyed 857 likely 2026 primary voters in Rhode Island with a margin of error of 3.6%.
While 22% of Democratic primary voters are still undecided in the governor’s race, enough to swing the election in either candidate’s favor, Foulkes has broad support among likely Rhode Island voters under 50 (58%), those who are college-educated (54%), and those who reside in the Bristol/Newport region (58%). Among Republican primary voters, Elaine Pelino (37%) has a 20-percentage point lead over Aaron Guckian (17%) heading into the GOP primary for governor, while a whopping 44% of likely Republican primary voters reported they were still undecided.
Senator Jack Reed receives strong support in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat he currently occupies. With 61% of the vote, Reed leads his opponents Connor Burbridge (12%) and Luis Daniel Muñoz (4%) by a wide margin.
A significant portion of likely voters remain undecided in down-ballot, statewide races. Nearly half of voters (48%) are unsure whom they will choose for RI Lieutenant Governor. Incumbent Lt. Governor Sabina Matos secured the largest support among the candidates at 18%, with former Newport Mayor Xay Khamsyvoravong close behind at 16%. In the Democratic race for RI Attorney General, 46% of likely voters are unsure, but Kim Ahern secured 23% support, the largest by a margin of 10 percentage points.
Among Republican primary voters, Stephen Skoly (29%) leads the U.S. House race for Congressional District 2 by 7 percentage points over opponent Victor Mellor (22%)—with 48% undecided at the time of the survey.
This survey was conducted as a part of the Pell Center’s Voices of Value project that works to unpack the nuances of political polarization, understand media consumption habits, and track support for various political actors. The August 2026 survey is the sixth installment of the project.