2018 Rhode Island gubernatorial election
The 2018 Rhode Island gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2018, to elect the governor of Rhode Island, concurrently with the [2018 United States Senate 2018 United States Senate election in Rhode Island|election in Rhode Island|election] of Rhode Island's Class I U.S. Senate seat, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections.
On September 12, 2018, incumbent governor Gina Raimondo and Cranston mayor and 2014 gubernatorial nominee Allan Fung won the Democratic and Republican primaries respectively, facing each other in a rematch of the 2014 election. Raimondo defeated Fung in the general election on November 6 to win a second term as governor, improving on her plurality win in 2014 to earn a majority of the votes, and becoming the first gubernatorial candidate to win a majority of votes since Donald Carcieri in 2006. It was also the first time that a Democrat was re-elected as Governor of Rhode Island since Bruce Sundlun won a second term in 1992, and the first time ever they did so for four-year terms.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominated
- Gina Raimondo, incumbent governor
Eliminated in primary
- Matt Brown, former Secretary of State of Rhode Island and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2006
- Spencer Dickinson, former state representative
Withdrawn
- Paul Roselli, president of the Burrillville Land Trust
Declined
- Lincoln Chafee, former governor and candidate for president of the United States in 2016
- James Langevin, U.S. representative
- Daniel McKee, lieutenant governor
- Angel Taveras, former mayor of Providence and candidate for governor in 2014
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominated
- Allan Fung, mayor of Cranston and nominee for governor in 2014
Eliminated in primary
- Giovanni Feroce, businessman, former state senator and nominee for lieutenant governor in 1994
- Patricia Morgan, minority leader of the Rhode Island House of Representatives
Declined
- Robert Flanders, former associate justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court
- Robert Nardolillo, state representative
- Joe Trillo, former state representative
- John Hazen White, businessman
Polling
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Allan Fung | Patricia Morgan | Joe Trillo | Undecided |
| TargetPoint | November 4–6, 2017 | 433 | ± 4.0% | 45% | 24% | 10% | 20% |
Moderate primary
Candidates
Declared
- Bill Gilbert, chairman of the Moderate Party of Rhode Island and nominee for lieutenant governor in 2014
Independents
Declared
- Luis Daniel Muñoz, physician and community organizer
- Joe Trillo, former Republican state representative
Failed to qualify
- Rebecca McLaughlin
Declined
Minor third parties
Declared
- Anne Armstrong, cannabis activist
General election
Debates
- , September 27, 2018
- , October 15, 2018
Polling
with Gina Raimondo and Patricia Morgan| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Gina Raimondo | Patricia Morgan | Joe Trillo | Other | Undecided |
| Fleming & Associates | July 28–31, 2018 | 407 | ± 4.8% | 42% | 24% | 8% | 5% | 22% |
| SocialSphere | May 30 – June 4, 2018 | 501 | – | 39% | 20% | 19% | – | 22% |
| Fleming & Associates | February 25–28, 2018 | 419 | ± 4.8% | 43% | 25% | 9% | – | 20% |
with Gina Raimondo and Giovanni Feroce
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Gina Raimondo | Giovanni Feroce | Joe Trillo | Other | Undecided |
| Fleming & Associates | July 28–31, 2018 | 407 | ± 4.8% | 44% | 9% | 12% | 6% | 30% |
with Matt Brown and Allan Fung
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Matt Brown | Allan Fung | Joe Trillo | Other | Undecided |
| Fleming & Associates | July 28–31, 2018 | 407 | ± 4.8% | 21% | 36% | 7% | 6% | 30% |
| SocialSphere | May 30 – June 4, 2018 | 501 | – | 25% | 35% | 14% | – | 27% |
with Matt Brown and Patricia Morgan
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Matt Brown | Patricia Morgan | Joe Trillo | Other | Undecided |
| Fleming & Associates | July 28–31, 2018 | 407 | ± 4.8% | 25% | 21% | 9% | 8% | 36% |
| SocialSphere | May 30 – June 4, 2018 | 501 | – | 30% | 20% | 18% | – | 33% |
with Matt Brown and Giovanni Feroce
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Matt Brown | Giovanni Feroce | Joe Trillo | Other | Undecided |
| Fleming & Associates | July 28–31, 2018 | 407 | ± 4.8% | 27% | 8% | 11% | 10% | 43% |
Results
By congressional district
Raimondo won both congressional districts.| District | Raimondo | Fung | Representative |
| 59% | 31% | David Cicilline | |
| 47% | 43% | James Langevin |