Another week, another brutal series of polling numbers for Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee.

The incumbent Democrat was dealt three separate polls this week that all show he faces a difficult path to reelection.

👉 Independent candidate Ken Block released a poll that he’s down 8 percentage points to McKee in a hypothetical general election (28 percent to 20 percent), but McKee’s statewide approval rating was only 26 percent.

👉 The Rhode Island League of Charter Public Schools had a poll that pegged McKee’s job approval rating at 18 percent, and showed he trails Helena Foulkes among Democratic primary voters 34 percent to 20 percent.

👉 A University of New Hampshire poll showed McKee’s job approval at 17 percent, and had Foulkes up 45 percent to 11 percent against McKee in a Democratic primary.

The bigger picture: The numbers aren’t necessarily surprising to anyone paying close attention to the governor’s race – although the UNH poll is the first to show Foulkes with a truly dominating lead – but McKee’s camp has to be alarmed that he has seen no bounce since House Speaker Joe Shekarchi finally decided against entering the race.

With less than four months before early voting begins in the Democratic primary, the next thing to watch is when the candidates plan to begin making their case (and tearing down each other) in TV and online advertising. 

We’ll get an early glimpse of just how much money each candidate has by the end of the next week when they report first quarter campaign fund-raising totals. McKee’s team maintains that it is pleased with their numbers, but Foulkes is widely expected to post one of the best quarters in the history of Rhode Island politics.