The Republican primary for Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District, scheduled for September 9 with early voting already underway, pits Stephen Skoly against Victor Mellor in a low-turnout contest in a solidly Democratic district. Skoly secured the state GOP endorsement in June after Mellor declined to seek it, highlighting his long local residency and record as an oral surgeon who challenged state COVID-19 mandates. Mellor, a Marine veteran and businessman who recently returned from Florida and participated in the January 6 Capitol events, has leveraged substantial self-funding exceeding $600,000 compared with Skoly’s roughly $140,000. A mid-August poll showed both candidates with support in the low-to-mid 20s and nearly half undecided. The race remains closely matched because of limited voter familiarity, competing appeals between party backing and financial resources, and an upcoming September 4 debate that could shift momentum before ballots are cast.