Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee leads the fundraising race among Democratic gubernatorial candidates, newly filed campaign finance reports show, although former CVS Health executive Helena Foulkes is a close second.
McKee has an $844,000 campaign balance after raising more than $170,000 during the fourth quarter of 2021. Foulkes, who entered the race during Q4, raised about $975,000 and loaned herself $100,000, leaving her balance after expenses at about $830,000.
General Treasurer Seth Magaziner has a $1.6 million campaign balance, after raising about $158,000 during Q4, although he last week announced he was ending his campaign for governor to instead run for an open Second Congressional District seat. (Campaign funds can’t be switched from a state to a federal account; Magaziner did not specify if he would refund previous contributions, but said he would ask his past donors to support his congressional run.)
Another gubernatorial candidate, Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, has a balance of more than $769,000 after raising about $162,000 in Q4.
Rounding out the Democratic candidates, Matt Brown has a balance of $38,124, while Luis Daniel Munoz has $3,356 in his account.
No Republican candidates for governor have yet emerged, although The Providence Journal reported this week that a recent transplant, Ashley Kalus, is considering a run.
In the race for mayor of Providence, Brett Smiley leads the fundraising race, with a balance of about $535,000, followed by Michael Solomon with $300,000, Gonzalo Cuervo with about $216,000, and Nirva LaFortune with about $171,000.
Campaign funds are an important part of competing in politics, although the candidate with the most money doesn’t always win.
Ian Donnis can be reached at idonnis@ripr.org. Follow him on Twitter @IanDon. Sign up here for his weekly RI politics and media newsletter.
