Rhode Island’s September 9 Republican primary for the 2nd congressional district remains tightly contested between physician Stephen Skoly and businessman Victor Mellor. Skoly secured the state party endorsement at the June convention, providing organizational and institutional support that has kept his implied probability slightly ahead in trader pricing. Both candidates emphasize border security, Second Amendment rights, and parental authority on education and health issues, limiting clear differentiation for voters. A scheduled televised debate accepted by both on August 21 offers one of the final opportunities for separation before primary day. Limited public polling and low historical turnout in Rhode Island GOP primaries sustain uncertainty, with fundraising differences and Mellor’s outsider profile preventing either contender from establishing a decisive lead among the remaining undecided voters.