Daniel McKee
Dan McKee | |
---|---|
76th Governor of Rhode Island | |
Assumed office March 2, 2021 | |
Lieutenant | Sabina Matos |
Preceded by | Gina Raimondo |
69th Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island | |
In office January 6, 2015 – March 2, 2021 | |
Governor | Gina Raimondo |
Preceded by | Elizabeth Roberts |
Succeeded by | Sabina Matos |
Mayor of Cumberland, Rhode Island | |
In office January 7, 2007 – January 6, 2015 | |
Preceded by | David Iwuc |
Succeeded by | William Murray |
In office January 2001 – January 2005 | |
Preceded by | Frank Gaschen |
Succeeded by | David Iwuc |
Personal details | |
Born | Cumberland, Rhode Island, U.S. | June 16, 1951
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse(s) | Susan McGill |
Children | 2 |
Education | Assumption College (BA) Harvard University (MPA) |
Daniel J. McKee (born June 16, 1951) is an American politician serving as the 76th governor of Rhode Island since March 2021. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
McKee served as a member of the Cumberland Town Council from 1992 to 1998 and Mayor of Cumberland twice, from 2000 to 2004 and from 2006 until 2014.[1] He was elected as the lieutenant governor of Rhode Island in 2014. When Governor Gina Raimondo resigned to become President Joe Biden's Secretary of Commerce in 2021, McKee acceded to the post of Governor of Rhode Island.[2]
Early life[]
McKee's family has owned and operated small businesses in northern Rhode Island for over one hundred years. He was raised and still is a practicing Roman Catholic.
After graduating from Cumberland High School, McKee received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts and a Master of Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School.
Early career[]
McKee was an officer of McKee Brothers, a heating, air conditioning, and home heating oil delivery business founded by his grandfather.[3] In addition, he ran a health and fitness business for more than 30 years.[3]
During his time on the Cumberland, Rhode Island Town Council (1992–1998), McKee was also a basketball coach, coaching groups of boys and girls at all levels, culminating in two State AAU Basketball Champions in 1998 and 2000.
He served six terms as Cumberland's mayor. McKee worked with state and federal officials in the aftermath of Cumberland's historic spring flooding to minimize the damage; and he steered Cumberland through Rhode Island's unprecedented economic downturn.[citation needed]
In 2008, McKee worked with mayors across the state to pass a law allowing for the creation of new, regional, mayor-governed and highly autonomous public schools known as “Mayoral Academies.” In 2009 and 2010, McKee again helped organize mayors and education advocates to enact a new education funding policy.
For over twenty-five years, McKee has been a member of the board of directors of the Boys and Girls Club of Cumberland-Lincoln, serving as past president of the executive board and chairman of the endowment committee.[4]
Lieutenant Governor (2015–2021)[]
In 2013, McKee announced his candidacy for Rhode island lieutenant governor, defeating Secretary of State of Rhode Island Ralph Mollis and State Rep. Frank Ferri in the Democratic primary.[5] McKee faced Republican Catherine Terry Taylor, a legislative aide and speechwriter for U.S. Senators John Chafee and Lincoln Chafee.[6] McKee won with 54.3% of the vote. He was re-elected in 2018.[7]
On January 7, 2021, President-elect Joe Biden selected Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo as his choice for Secretary of Commerce. Since McKee was next in line of succession, he would become governor once Raimondo would be confirmed by the United States Senate. She was confirmed on March 2, 2021 and submitted her resignation as governor shortly after.[8]
In February 2021, McKee began to form a COVID-19 advisory board in anticipation whenever he would become Rhode Island's governor.[9] He had criticized the Raimondo administration over a slow COVID-19 vaccine rollout.[10]
Governorship (2021–present)[]
McKee was sworn in as the 76th Governor of Rhode Island on March 2, 2021 following Raimondo's appointment as U.S. commerce secretary.[11]
COVID-19[]
McKee said his main priority was to advance COVID-19 vaccine rollout and to contain the COVID-19 pandemic in Rhode Island.[12] By July 4, Rhode Island had fully vaccinated over 633,000 people, representing 70% of its eligible adult population.[13] It was the fifth state to reach that milestone.[13] Also in July, McKee terminated the state mask mandate but extended the COVID-19 emergency declaration to August 6, citing the prevalence of the delta variant.[14]
Electoral history[]
Cumberland Mayor Democratic Primary Election, 2000 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Daniel McKee | 4,390 | 61.48 |
Democratic | Francis Gaschen | 2,750 | 38.52 |
Cumberland Mayor Election, 2000 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Daniel McKee | 11,625 | 100.00 |
Cumberland Mayor Election, 2002 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Daniel McKee (inc.) | 9,131 | 81.94 |
Independent | Julian Pytka | 2,012 | 18.06 |
Cumberland Mayor Democratic Primary Election, 2004 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | David Iwuc | 2,666 | 54.98 |
Democratic | Daniel McKee (inc.) | 2,183 | 45.02 |
Cumberland Mayor Democratic Primary Election, 2006 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Daniel McKee | 4,411 | 62.33 |
Democratic | David Iwuc (inc.) | 2,666 | 37.67 |
Cumberland Mayor Election, 2006 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Daniel McKee | 10,612 | 100.00 |
Cumberland Mayor Democratic Primary Election, 2008 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Daniel McKee (inc.) | 3,871 | 64.4 |
Democratic | David Iwuc | 2,140 | 35.6 |
Cumberland Mayor Election, 2008 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Daniel McKee (inc.) | 12,650 | 100.0 |
Cumberland Mayor Election, 2010 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Daniel McKee (inc.) | 8,091 | 63.9 |
Independent | David Iwuc | 4,562 | 36.1 |
Cumberland Mayor Election, 2012 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Daniel McKee (inc.) | 12,667 | 96.6 |
Write-ins | Write-ins | 452 | 3.4 |
Rhode Island Lieutenant Governor Democratic Primary Election, 2014 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Daniel McKee | 50,229 | 43.0 |
Democratic | Ralph Mollis | 42,525 | 36.4 |
Democratic | Frank Ferri | 23,970 | 20.5 |
Rhode Island Lieutenant Governor Election, 2014 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Daniel McKee | 169,078 | 54.3 |
Republican | Catherine Terry Taylor | 105,305 | 33.8 |
Moderate | William Gilbert | 25,951 | 8.3 |
Libertarian | Tony Jones | 10,221 | 3.3 |
Write-ins | Write-ins | 906 | 0.3 |
Rhode Island Lieutenant Governor Democratic Primary Election, 2018 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Daniel McKee | 57,632 | 51.1 |
Democratic | Aaron Regunberg | 55,230 | 48.9 |
Rhode Island Lieutenant Governor Election, 2018 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Daniel McKee | 226,528 | 61.9 |
Republican | Paul Pence | 106,505 | 29.1 |
Moderate | Joel Hellmann | 11,332 | 3.1 |
Independent | Jonathan Riccitelli | 9,866 | 2.7 |
Independent | Ross McCurdy | 9,408 | 2.6 |
Write-ins | Write-ins | 2,513 | 0.7 |
References[]
- ^ Edgar, Randal. "Cumberland Mayor McKee announces bid for R.I. lieutenant governor". providencejournal.com. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
- ^ Anderson, Katherine Gregg and Patrick. "Raimondo resigns after winning Senate confirmation as U.S. commerce secretary; McKee sworn in as RI governor". The Providence Journal. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Edgar, Randal (August 24, 2014). "Democrats in R.I. lieutenant governor race put economy first". The Providence Journal. Providence, RI.
- ^ "Daniel McKee's file". @politifact. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
- ^ "Rhode Island lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2014". Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
- ^ ChrisS. "FirstWorks Names Taylor President of Board". GoLocalProv. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
- ^ "Lt. Gov. McKee wins re-election". WPRI.com. November 7, 2018. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
- ^ "Biden's Commerce Secretary, Gina Raimondo, Confirmed By Senate". NPR.org. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
- ^ "McKee names COVID advisory board". Boston Globe. February 3, 2021.
- ^ "McKee criticizes Raimondo administration over vaccine rollout". WPRI. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
- ^ Gregg, Katherine; Anderson, Patrick. "Raimondo resigns after winning Senate confirmation as U.S. commerce secretary; McKee sworn in as RI governor". The Providence Journal. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
- ^ "RI Lt. Gov. Says Speeding Up Vaccine Distribution Is His 'Top Priority'". NECN. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Rhode Island reaches 70% COVID vaccination rate". MassLive. Associated Press. July 3, 2021. Archived from the original on July 10, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
- ^ Anderson, Patrick (July 9, 2021). "Governor McKee extends emergency, 3 additional cases of delta variant in RI". The Providence Journal. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
External links[]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Daniel McKee. |
- Government website
- Campaign website
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Profile at Vote Smart
- 1951 births
- 20th-century American businesspeople
- 20th-century American politicians
- 21st-century American politicians
- Assumption University (Worcester) alumni
- Businesspeople from Rhode Island
- Governors of Rhode Island
- Harvard Kennedy School alumni
- Lieutenant Governors of Rhode Island
- Living people
- Mayors of places in Rhode Island
- People from Cumberland, Rhode Island
- Rhode Island Democrats
- Rhode Island city council members