Reed Cruises Past Left Challengers in RI Primary
Reed Cruises Past Left Challengers in RI Primary
The News
Sen. Jack Reed won Rhode Island's Democratic Senate primary Wednesday, beating two challengers from his left and putting the 76-year-old incumbent on a glidepath to a sixth term in the deep-blue state, according to a Decision Desk HQ projection reported by The Hill.
Reed's easy night ran against the current everywhere else on the Rhode Island ballot. Gov. Dan McKee and Providence Mayor Brett Smiley both lost their Democratic primaries the same evening.
Reed's main challenger was Connor Burbridge, a 31-year-old eldercare worker running to his left. Fox News described the field as two far-left challengers; The Hill called them longshots.
Timeline
Former CVS executive Helena Foulkes narrowly loses the Democratic gubernatorial primary to Dan McKee, setting up a rematch four years later.
Polls close in Rhode Island's primaries. Voters weigh in on the Senate, governor and two House seats; Democratic Reps. Gabe Amo and Seth Magaziner are unopposed for renomination.
Decision Desk HQ projects Reed the winner of the Senate primary. The Hill reports he "sailed through," easily besting his challengers.
Decision Desk HQ projects McKee loses to Foulkes, who leads by nearly 25 points, 62 percent to nearly 38 percent. Smiley loses Providence to democratic socialist state Rep. David Morales.
Reactions
The Hill's read on the night was blunt: it was a bad night to be an incumbent in Rhode Island, with the governor and the mayor of the state's largest city both losing their Democratic primaries.
Fox News framed Reed's win as a veteran Democrat cruising past far-left primary challengers into the general election.
Political Wire, citing the New York Post, noted the scale of McKee's defeat: he becomes the first elected governor to lose a primary since 2014.
What's Next
Reed advances to the November general election against Raymond McKay, the Republicans' presumptive nominee. Rhode Island is a solid blue state, and Reed is favored to hold the seat.
Foulkes carries the Democratic nomination for governor into November. Morales does the same in Providence.
More
The Numbers
Foulkes over McKee: 62 percent to nearly 38 percent, a margin of nearly 25 points, per Decision Desk HQ.
Reed's age: 76. Burbridge's age: 31.
Terms at stake: Reed is seeking his sixth in the Senate.
Poll
What does the Rhode Island primary night say about Democratic voters?
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