RI-02: Seth M. Magaziner (D)

REPLACING:

Jim Langevin (D)[i]

WORK HISTORY:

State of Rhode Island (General Treasurer); Trillium Asset Management (Vice President); Point Judith Capital (Associate); St. Landry Parish School (Elementary School Teacher)[ii] [iii]

EDUCATION:

Diploma, Milton Academy; AB, Brown University; MBA, Yale School of Management[iv]

CAMPAIGNED ON:

Building a Stronger Economy; Lowering Costs; Public Health & Pandemic Preparedness; Making Healthcare More Affordable; Protecting Social Security & Medicare; Defending Reproductive Rights; Ending Gun Violence; Lowering the Cost of Energy & Combatting Climate Change; Protecting Our Democracy; Strengthening America & Supporting Veterans[v]

ON THE ISSUES

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS:

Magaziner argues “women’s rights are under attack by right-wing politicians” and the Supreme Court, and that “there is no such thing as equality for women without reproductive freedom for all.” Magaziner commits to “always fight for the rights of women to make their own health care decisions without the interference of politicians,” including codifying Roe v. Wade into federal law.[vi]

ECONOMY, JOBS & TAXES:

In Congress, Magaziner commits to supporting policies “that will expand economic opportunity for middle-class families and those working hard to join it.” He will support initiatives to expand workers’ rights including the right to organize, expand career training and apprenticeship training, and extend the child tax credit.[vii] Magaziner has said he “would not support any tax increase on anyone making less than $400,000 a year,” and supports repealing Trump’s tax cuts that benefitted the wealthy.[viii]

HEALTHCARE & SOCIAL SAFETY NET:

In Congress, Magaziner commits to expanding the Affordable Care Act and protecting it “against Republican attempts to repeal it.” He will also fight to lower prescription drug costs by advocating for Medicare to negotiate drug prices and supporting legislation to make those negotiated prices available to Americans with private insurance, “not just Medicare beneficiaries.”[ix] Magaziner commits to fighting to protect Social Security and Medicare, calling them “the bedrock of the middle class.”[x]

IMMIGRATION & BORDER SECURITY:

Magaziner says he will “fight to build a country where everyone has a chance to achieve the American Dream like his family did.”[xi] He has called for “humane immigration reform” and expressed support for Dreamers, contending they “represent the best of the American spirit.”[xii] [xiii] [xiv] [xv] In 2018, he supported a Rhode Island bill preserving Dreamers’ right to get state driver’s licenses.[xvi]

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY:

Magaziner does not support defunding the police.[xvii] He said the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and “others” was “a call to action” to engage in “challenging & productive conversations about how we can achieve true equity.”[xviii] In 2022, he supported a Rhode Island bill eliminating cash bail in the state.[xix]

GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS & ELECTION SECURITY:

Magaziner commits to fighting for voting rights in Congress, including supporting the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. He asserts he will “hold Donald Trump and anyone else responsible for the January 6 insurrection accountable,” support banning members of Congress from trading individual stocks, and support terms limits for members of Congress.[xx]

EDUCATION:

Magaziner will support initiatives to make college and career technical training more affordable, and policies ensuring universal pre-K.[xxi] He has expressed support for reducing interest rates on student loans.[xxii]

CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT:

In Congress, Magaziner will support investments in clean energy infrastructure “that will lower energy prices, reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil,” and create jobs “especially in the off-shore wind industry.”[xxiii] To address rising energy costs, he supports utilizing the “strategic petroleum reserve,” passing the Big Oil Windfalls Profits Tax Act and holding billionaire oil companies accountable for price gouging, and suspending the federal gas tax.[xxiv]

BIG TECH & DATA PRIVACY:

As state treasurer, Magaziner has called for an independent board chair at Facebook to increase oversight and has supported lawsuits against Facebook and Alphabet relating to stolen data and data breaches.[xxv] [xxvi] [xxvii] [xxviii]

GUN SAFETY:

Magaziner supports banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. As state treasurer, he “ended the state’s investment in companies that manufacture assault weapons for non-military use, and worked to pass laws making schools gun-free zones and banning high capacity magazines.” He is endorsed by the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence and Mom’s Demand Action.[xxix]

FOREIGN POLICY:

Magaziner argues “the bar should always be high for deploying American service members overseas.” He supports “continued humanitarian and military aid to the people of Ukraine as they fight back against Vladimir Putin’s immoral and illegal invasion of their country.”[xxx]