Democratic former Newport, Rhode Island mayor and current city Councilman Xaykham Rexford Khamsyvoravong on Monday announced he’s launching a primary challenge to incumbent Lt Governor Sabina Matos, the Providence Journal reports while pretty plainly expressing puzzlement over a campaign focused on tackling the “challenges facing the healthcare system” from the Ocean State’s second highest office which – like most other lieutenant governorships in the northeast and many elsewhere – has virtually no significant statutory powers or responsibilities at all.
Plus there’s the name which, God bless him for sticking with traditional Asian filial piety but it doesn’t always mesh well with politics, could’ve been shortened along the way. Or maybe he could’ve just stuck with Rexford, his white Rhode Islander mom’s maiden name. WASPy? Yes. Easily spelled? YES.
Thus concludes this important update on the 2026 Rhode Island Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial primary and yes it’s obvious this guy’s simply trying to build his career and position himself for higher office without challenging Governor Dan McKee now directly this year.