The former president of CVS Pharmacy, Helena Buonanno Foulkes, defeated incumbent Daniel McKee in Rhode Island’s Democratic primary for governor Sept. 9.
According to voting data from the Associated Press, 62.4% of counted votes went to Ms. Buonanno Foulkes, whereas 37.6% went to the current governor. Mr. McKee is the country’s first elected governor to miss out on renomination since 2014.
CVS is the largest company in Rhode Island. Ms. Buonanno Foulkes was at the helm of the company’s retail pharmacy business for about four years, according to her LinkedIn profile. She ran for governor in 2022, as well.
Mr. McKee has challenged Ms. Buonanno Foulkes’ and her past employer’s role in the opioid crisis. Ms. Buonanno Foulkes has fought back against his claims, saying the company reduced opioids dispensed by nearly 40% under her leadership.
In 2024, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against CVS Pharmacy, alleging the business filled unlawful prescriptions, including those for opioids, and sought federal reimbursement.
Aaron Guckian and Elaine Pelino ran for the Republican nomination in a tighter primary. That race was still considered too close to call as of 10:45 a.m. CDT on Sept. 10.
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