Why It Matters
Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) won election to a sixth term in the U.S. Senate on Nov. 3, defeating Republican Raymond McKay and independent Michael Bahry, according to WPRI.
Reed's victory preserved a Democratic Senate seat and extended his nearly three decades in Congress' upper chamber. With Democrats winning control of the Senate nationally, Reed is positioned to assume the chairmanship of the Senate Armed Services Committee when the new Congress convenes in January. The leadership change would give him greater influence over defense policy, military spending, and oversight of President Donald Trump's administration.
The Result
In the unofficial count reported by the Rhode Island Board of Elections as of Nov. 4, with all 40 cities and towns reporting, Reed received 235,276 votes, or 66.60%, compared with McKay's 103,996 votes, or 29.44%. Bahry received 13,328 votes, or 3.77%, while write-in candidates received 685 votes. Reed led McKay by 131,280 votes, approximately 37.2 percentage points. The results remained unofficial and subject to certification.
Money
Reed raised approximately $4.81 million in total receipts over the six-year election cycle, compared with McKay's $207,231 during the current two-year reporting period. The difference exceeded $4.6 million, although the figures cover different reporting periods and therefore do not provide a directly comparable fundraising ratio.
According to the Federal Election Commission, Reed reported $4,814,652.66 in receipts and $4,940,507.75 in disbursements from January 2021 through Oct. 14. He reported $1,883,532.16 in cash on hand. During the current two-year reporting period, Reed raised $3,727,368.44 and spent $3,432,028.32.
McKay reported $207,230.98 in receipts and $199,212.20 in disbursements from January 2025 through Oct. 14, with $8,357 in cash on hand. Outside spending in the race was negligible. The identified independent expenditures totaled $10, consisting of a single June 10 transaction by Sierra Club Independent Action supporting Reed during the Democratic primary.
The Incumbent
Reed first took office Jan. 3, 1997, and is completing his 30th year of Senate service. Before joining the Senate, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1991 to 1997. According to Reed's official Senate website and the Senate's committee assignments, he serves on the Appropriations Committee, the Armed Services Committee, where he is ranking member, and the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. He also serves on the Select Committee on Intelligence in an ex officio capacity.
His Appropriations subcommittee assignments include Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies; Defense; Financial Services and General Government, where he is ranking member; Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies; Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development.
In the 119th Congress, Reed sponsored S. 5549, the Quality Educator Partnership Act, which he introduced Sept. 24 alongside Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Ron Wyden (D-OR). The legislation would establish programs to strengthen the educator workforce, including initiatives supporting teacher preparation, recruitment and retention. The bill was referred to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee following its introduction.
Campaign Context
During the race, McKay called on Reed to return $8,000 in contributions from two donors, citing an indictment alleging a $20 million fraud scheme. According to The Back Door, which reported the story on October 23, 2026, the indictment allegations were unresolved at the time of publication, and the outlet said there was no evidence Reed knew of or received illegally obtained money.
Primary
Reed won the September 9, 2026, Democratic primary with 76.8% of the vote, more than five times the share of second-place finisher Connor Burbridge at 13.4%; Luis Daniel Muñoz received 9.8%. The Democratic primary drew 127,985 total votes, more than six times the 20,350 cast in the Republican primary, where McKay ran unopposed.
Pre-Election Indicators
Major election forecasters consistently rated Rhode Island's Senate seat safely Democratic. The Cook Political Report listed the race as Solid Democratic as of Nov. 2. Cook, Sabato's Crystal Ball and Inside Elections all rated the contest Solid Democratic as of Nov. 3, according to the race record's ratings consensus.
The RealClearPolitics polling average, covering Oct. 5-31, showed Reed leading McKay 59.0% to 29.7%, a 29.3-point margin. The Legis1 polling average as of Oct. 31, based on 11 polls, showed Reed at 58.8% and McKay at 29.6%, a margin of 29.2 percentage points.
Reed's approximately 37.2-point lead in the unofficial election returns exceeded both polling averages, although the results had not been certified. On Kalshi, the market page displayed a 100% probability of Reed winning when retrieved Nov. 4. Because that figure appeared alongside election returns, it does not represent a verified pre-election closing probability.
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