Stephen Skoly holds the lead in the Rhode Island Republican primary for the 2nd Congressional District ahead of the September 9 vote, supported by the state party’s June endorsement and top ballot position. Victor Mellor trails but has drawn attention through substantial self-funding and external support, including from Michael Flynn, while both candidates appeal to overlapping conservative priorities on border security, parental rights, and Second Amendment issues. An August poll showed Skoly at 29% to Mellor’s 22% with nearly half of likely Republican primary voters still undecided, reflecting limited name recognition and the race’s late-start dynamics. Early voting began August 20, and a scheduled September 4 debate offers one of the final opportunities for differentiation before ballots are cast.