McKee's Jobs Claims Under Fire Amid Debate Over Economic Performance

Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee has touted his administration's creation of 37,000 jobs, but his Democratic primary challenger Helena Buonanno Foulkes disputes this claim. Foulkes argues that most of these jobs were created as the state recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a devastating impact on employment.

Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that Rhode Island's nonfarm payroll stood at 514,200 in June 2026, an increase of 39,700 jobs since McKee took office in March 2021. However, the state still has not fully recovered to its pre-pandemic levels, with a job count only 7,200 higher than in January 2020.

Economics professor Edi Tebaldi suggests that the best way to measure Rhode Island's economic performance is relative to neighboring states and the country as a whole. According to this metric, Rhode Island has done well, surpassing Massachusetts and Connecticut in job growth since January 2020. However, the state lost 0.4% of its jobs in the last year, more than any other New England state.

Tebaldi also notes that labor force participation is down in Rhode Island, a trend likely due to demographic changes rather than policy decisions. He suggests that states with tax-friendly environments tend to perform better economically and that infrastructure investments can boost business growth. McKee's campaign points to major employment expansions under his administration, while Foulkes' campaign frames her as the best candidate to address the state's affordability crisis.