AG Neronha backs Helena Foulkes. But endorsements whisper. Money talks.

Twenty-four hours after unveiling a scathing report detailing widespread sexual abuse and calculated cover-ups by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha stepped up to the podium Thursday to address a small crowd reporters on a very different subject: the 2026 gubernatorial race.

Neronha threw his weight behind Helena Buonanno Foulkes in her campaign against Gov. Dan McKee in the September Democratic primary. Neronha’s endorsement is hardly a surprise; the state’s top prosecutor has openly criticized McKee for flouting state procurement laws and taking a backseat on health care issues, including the imminent sale of Roger Williams Medical Center and Our Lady of Fatima Hospital. 

Meanwhile, Neronha has maintained a close relationship with Foulkes, voting for the former CVS executive in the 2022 primary in which she lost to McKee by three percentage points. But he held off on making an endorsement while mulling his own potential gubernatorial campaign. Neronha, who is term-limited, announced in early October he would not be entering the race.

“I know what it takes to lead as a public servant,” Neronha said in a statement Thursday. “It is without hesitation when I say that Helena Foulkes has what it takes to be our next Governor. I am confident that she will fight for Rhode Islanders, which is something I think is critically important for that Office. Much like my role as a prosecutor, Helena is arguing the case for change, and she has my support.”

Endorsements for various candidates seeking state office this fall have started to ramp up with just over five months before early voting begins for the primary..

On Tuesday, the Rhode Island Troopers Association announced its endorsement for Rep. Joe Solomon in the attorney general’s race. Solomon, a Warwick Democrat, is one of four Democrats vying for the seat left open by Neronha. On Wednesday, another Democratic AG hopeful, Kim Ahern, received the backing of United Nurses & Allied Professionals. And hours before Foulkes and Neronha appeared together, Sue AnderBois, a Providence City Councilperson and one of four Democrats running for lieutenant governor, unveiled endorsements from a crop of former and current Democratic city officials.

‘This is only news for people like us’

While candidates compete for endorsements among union groups and politicians, the backings hold little sway with voters, said Adam Myers, an associate professor of political science at Providence College.

Even Neronha, one of the more outspoken state officeholders, especially this year as he leads a string of multi-state lawsuits against the Trump administration, isn’t on the radar for the average voter, Myers said.

“I don’t think the AG is high-profile enough in the minds of voters that it is going to make a difference,” Myers said. “This is only news for people like us.”

Union endorsements might influence voters who belong to or have ties to that labor group. Otherwise?

“Endorsements don’t matter nearly as much as money and fundraising,” Myers concluded. “If you can get the backing of a group that can raise a lot of money on your behalf or spend a lot of money on your behalf, that can make a difference.”

Foulkes maintained she was “honored” for Neronha’s support, however.

“Peter has been on the frontlines against the Trump administration and has seen firsthand the importance of strong Democratic governors and attorneys general as the last line of defense to protect Rhode Island against reckless federal policies,” she said in a statement. “He understands the leadership this moment demands and I look forward to earning Rhode Islanders’ support in the days and months ahead.”

Candidates trade accusations

Foulkes has dominated McKee in fundraising, with nearly three times as much cash on hand as the governor as of Dec. 31, according to the latest campaign finance reports filed with the Rhode Island Board of Elections. McKee’s campaign has attempted to reframe his lagging donation haul by touting the percentage from in-state donors and criticizing Foulkes for contributions from outside state lines.

Accusations between the competitors extend well beyond donor address squabbles. Foulkes has hammered McKee over the Washington Bridge collapse and rebuild, failure to stand up to President Donald Trump and most recently, mislabeled tax forms sent out to 22,000 state employees. McKee’s campaign has centered its criticisms on Foulkes’ former job at CVS, linking her to a federal lawsuit which alleges the pharmacy giant perpetuated the opioid crisis. The 2024 Department of Justice complaint against CVS does not mention Foulkes specifically.

Christina Freundlich, a spokesperson for McKee’s campaign, pointed to the DOJ lawsuit again in a statement Thursday after the endorsement news.

“For more than a decade, Peter Neronha has agreed with Governor McKee: Helena Foulkes must answer for knowingly disregarding concerns around illegal opioid sales, refusing to take preventative measures to slow or stop filling invalid prescriptions, and accepting $173 million in secret payments to maximize profits and enrich herself as President of CVS Pharmacy,” Freundlich said. “Where Helena Foulkes’ leadership has prompted a lawsuit from the Department of Justice and left businesses shuttered and thousands of workers unemployed, Governor McKee is laser-focused on building Rhode Island’s economy, lowering costs for working families, and standing up to Donald Trump’s chaos.”

There is no documented evidence that Foulkes accepted secret payments or was directly involved in illegal opioid sales. McKee’s campaign linked its allegations to reporting, primarily by GoLocalProv, that details broader charges facing CVS and pharmaceutical manufacturer Purdue Pharma.

The Rhode Island Democratic Party has yet to make an endorsement in the race, with plans for its 245 state committee members to vote on state and congressional endorsements during the biannual state party convention in June, Liz Beretta-Perik, party chair, said in an email Thursday. The convention date has not been set. In 2022, the party endorsed McKee.

The primary will take place on Sept. 8, 2026, followed by the general election on Nov. 3, 2026. Democrat Gregory Stevens and Republicans Aaron Guckian, Elaine Pelino, and Robert Raimondo have also declared their candidacies for governor.