Foulkes’ healthcare record front and center in McKee’s inaugural campaign commercial

The political commercial season has commenced, with Gov. Dan McKee’s campaign announcing its inaugural ad on Wednesday.

The 30-second spot will air on WPRI-TV and its Fox affiliate, WNAC-TV, 73 times over the next 12 days, for a $36,750 combined cost, according to Federal Communications Commission filings submitted Tuesday. That includes 52 spots on WPRI, for just under $30,000, plus $6,775 for 21 spots on WNAC. 

Christina Freundlich, a spokesperson for McKee’s reelection campaign, said the FCC filings do not reflect the campaign’s total advertising spend, including additional stations and digital advertising, but declined to share the total price tag or other local station placements. Federal filings only reflect political commercials placed on broadcast TV, radio and cable networks, not digital ads.

“There will be continued buying on mediums over the coming weeks and months,” Freundlich said in an emailed response Wednesday. 

Final spending on advertising, along with other campaign advertisements, will be reflected in second-quarter campaign finance reports which are due to the state election board by July 31.

McKee’s TV debut comes eight days after a WPRI-commissioned poll showing the Democratic incumbent trailing his top competitor, Helena Buonanno Foulkes, by 20 percentage points. A string of previous polls also showed McKee trailing Foulkes in a hypothetical primary race, though many voters remain undecided.

Foulkes, who ran and lost to McKee by 3 percentage points in the 2022 gubernatorial primary, has yet to buy any TV ad spots, according to federal filings. Yet, it is her face and resume that are the focus of McKee’s new ad.

The commercial opens with a zoomed-in photo of Foulkes, declaring the former CVS Pharmacy president “never cared about your health” before launching into a series of side-by-side images of Foulkes and McKee comparing their records on Medicaid funding, health insurance premiums and other related policies. Foulkes’ images are all cast in black and white, with red writing, while McKee’s are in full color. 

The framing follows the same line of attack McKee’s campaign has been making for years, attempting to tie Foulkes’ leadership of CVS to the pharmaceutical giant’s role in the opioid crisis. A federal lawsuit unsealed in late 2024 alleges the company perpetuated opioid addictions by filling fake prescriptions, accusing leaders of creating a culture where employees did not feel safe to speak out. The lawsuit does not name Foulkes, who has defended her role and the company’s overall work in opioid addiction treatment and prevention.

Eric Hyers, a consultant for Foulkes’ campaign, turned the focus back on McKee, accusing him of “lying to save his political career.”

“His first ad is a direct attack on CVS — not Helena Foulkes — deliberately conflating her with company decisions that were either not under her purview or happened after she left the company,” Hyers said in a statement Wednesday. “Dan McKee knows this. This is nothing more than a cynical attempt to smear Helena because after more than five years in office he has nothing positive to run on. He is desperately hoping that if he slings enough mud, it will distract voters from his failure as governor as he asks for an unprecedented third term.”

In addition to besting McKee in public polling, Foulkes has also maintained a significant financial advantage over the incumbent, with $3.6 million cash on hand as of March 31. McKee’s campaign balance stood at $1.36 million at the same time. 

Republican gubernatorial candidate Aaron Guckian already hit airwaves with an April 3 campaign ad on NESN, timed with opening day for the Boston Red Sox. As a private cable network, NESN does not have to report its advertising spending to federal regulators.

Guckian acknowledged but did not immediately respond to requests for comment on future advertising plans. 

Ken Block, an independent candidate for governor, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The gubernatorial primary is Sept. 9, with a Nov. 3 general election. Early voting begins Aug. 20. 

Reporter Christopher Shea contributed to this story.