Rhode Island gubernatorial election, 2018 (Red Wave 2018)

The 2018 Rhode Island gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2018, to elect the Governor of Rhode Island, concurrently with the election of Rhode Island's Class I U.S. Senate seat, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and 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. Fung defeated Raimondo in the general election on November 6 to win his first as Governor by earning a majority of votes, and becoming the first Gubernatorial candidate (incumbent or challenger) that won a majority of votes since Donald Carcieri in 2006, and also becomes the state's first Republican governor since Donald Carcieri.

Background
The previous election cycle, incumbent Governor Lincoln Chaffee declined to seek re-election to a second term in office, due to low approval ratings, paltry fundraising, and astrong chance of defeat in the primary. State Treasurer Gina Raimondo won the Democratic primary over Providence Mayor Angel Tavaras and Clay Pell. Cranston Mayor Allan Fung defeated former Moderate Party chairman Ken Block in the Republican primary. Raimondo defeated Fung in the general election 40% to 36%, with Moderate Party candidate Robert Healey capturing 20% of the vote, with many critics saying that it prevented Fung from winning.

As of October 30, 2018, according to Morning Consult, Raimondo has an approval rating of 36% approval and 51% disapproval. This is due to the controversy surrounding the overhaul of the state's pension plan, which caused thousands of government workers to lose their pensions, as well as climbing unemployment rates and crime despite the nationwide economic boom.

Won Primary
Incumbent Governor Gina Raimondo faced no opposition in the Democratic primary.
 * Gina Raimondo, incumbent Governor since 2015

Won Primary

 * Allan Fung - Mayor of Cranston

Defeated 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 Candidates

 * Scott Avedisian, former Mayor of Warwick
 * Robert Nardolillo, State Representative
 * Robert Flanders, former Rhode Island Supreme Court Justice
 * Ken Block, 2014 Republican candidate
 * Donald Carcieri, former Governor

Aftermath
In the aftermath of Fung's win, Patricia Morgan did not immediately endorse him, while Giovanni Feroce, who placed a distant third, endorsed Fung immediately after his loss. It was not until a month before the election when Morgan endorsed Joe Trillo, an Independent candidate for Governor. Morgan and Trillo had worked together in the State Legislature for years, and both of them railed against Fung during the primaries. This resulted in the Rhode Island House Republicans stripping Morgan of her title of Minority Leader.

Results
With 51.6% of the vote, Allan Fung became the first candidate since Donald Carcieri in 2006 to win a majority of the vote, and became only the second Chinese-American Governor of any of the contiguous United States since Gary Locke of Washington. This election also marks the third straight gubernatorial election in Rhode Island where a new Governor was elected.