Foulkes, a former health-care executive, won the Rhode Island governor’s race four years after falling short in her first run.
Helena Foulkes, 62, is not a career politician. She spent more than two decades at CVS, where she ran the company’s pharmacy business and its marketing, and later served as chief executive of the Hudson’s Bay Company, the Canadian retail giant that owned Saks Fifth Avenue.
She first ran for governor in 2022 and lost the Democratic primary to Dan McKee. This time she challenged McKee again for the nomination, won it, and went on to win the general election in a heavily Democratic state.
Foulkes takes over a small state with big budget pressure and a long-running problem: the Washington Bridge, a key highway crossing partly closed since 2023. Watch how a business executive handles a very public repair bill — and whether her corporate style fits a statehouse.
Fast facts
- Age: 62
- Party: Democratic
- Office: Governor of Rhode Island
- State: Rhode Island
- Previous job: Chief executive of Hudson’s Bay Company; former CVS executive
- Called by AP: verified in the desk’s 9:00 p.m. ET check, Nov. 3
Part of the Zark News Election 2026 winners profile series. Winners are listed as called by the Associated Press.
