Aaron Guckian secured the Republican Party endorsement at the June 2026 state convention by a 72-44 delegate vote over Elaine Pelino, leveraging his prior service as an aide to former Governor Don Carcieri and his 2022 lieutenant governor bid. In the September 9 primary, Guckian prevailed by roughly 279 votes out of nearly 23,000 cast, prompting media projections of his nomination despite Pelino’s subsequent recount request. Other listed candidates received negligible support and either withdrew or failed to advance meaningfully. Certification and any recount proceedings remain the primary outstanding factors that could still affect final resolution.