Seth Magaziner

Seth Michael Magaziner is a Jewish U.S. Representative for Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District. He was born in Bristol, Rhode Island, on July 22, 1983. Magaziner earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Brown University and a master’s degree in business administration from Yale University.

Magaziner began his career as a public school teacher with Teach for America in Louisiana. He then worked as an investment professional, serving in various positions at Trillium Asset Management.

In 2014, Magaziner was elected as Rhode Island’s General Treasurer. He was sworn into office in January 2015, replacing Gina Raimondo, who became Governor. As General Treasurer, Magaziner focused on initiatives to rebuild school buildings nationwide and create clean energy programs. He also created the BANKLocal program, encouraging local banks and credit unions to make loans to veteran-owned businesses.

Magaziner ran for Governor of Rhode Island in 2022 but withdrew from the race. He subsequently launched his campaign for Congress, seeking to represent Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District.

Magaziner was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2022 and assumed office on January 3, 2023. Magaziner served on the Natural Resources Committee and the Committee on Homeland Security in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is also a member of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. During the 118th Congress, he served as a Ranking Member on the Homeland Security Subcommittee for Counterterrorism, Intelligence, and Law Enforcement.

Magaziner has been active in introducing legislation and advocating for various causes. He introduced bills to lower drug prices, guaranteed paid time off for all workers, and invested in career and technical education. He has also co-sponsored legislation to protect Social Security and ensure benefits keep up with the cost of living. He co-sponsored the Women’s Health Protection Act to support a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions regarding abortion. Magaziner has co-sponsored the bipartisan TRUST in Congress Act to ban lawmakers from trading stocks.

Magaziner has secured millions of dollars of federal funding for local projects in Rhode Island. These grants have supported various initiatives, including police departments, public libraries, flood prevention, and waterfront development.

Magaziner’s mother is Catholic, and his father is Jewish. He has stated that he is ethnically Jewish but does not have a religious identification.

Magaziner has demonstrated his connection to the Jewish community through various actions. In 2017, he led the annual reading of George Washington’s letter to Touro synagogue. In 2020, he cited his Jewish heritage when he removed the term “Providence Plantations” from state checks, as it was deemed insensitive due to its association with slavery.

Magaziner has been a vocal supporter of Israel. He condemned the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas. He has stated that he strongly supports Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorism, including engaging in targeted military action to free hostages and eliminate Hamas. However, he voted against H.R. 7217, a bill to provide funding for Israel and other priorities, because he felt that the bill undermined the bipartisan approach being considered in the Senate and did not include, among other things, sufficient funding for humanitarian aid to Gaza, believing that the assistance is vital to the long-term security of Israelis and Palestinians.

In June 2024, Magaziner expressed his disapproval of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating that he believed Netanyahu had been “bad for Israel, bad for Palestinians, bad for America.” However, he attended Netanyahu’s address to Congress, emphasizing the importance of showing up when a head of state addresses Congress, “even if it’s someone who I have concerns about and disagree with.”

Magaziner is married and has two children.

Sources: “Seth Magaziner,” Ballotpedia.
“MAGAZINER, Seth,” Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
“Rep. Seth Magaziner,” LegiStorm.
“About,” magaziner.house.gov.
Ron Kampeas, “Meet 10 Jewish candidates who could be elected to Congress for the first time this fall,” JTA, (October 27, 2022). 
@Rep_Magaziner, (October 7, 2023).
“Magaziner, Amo Issue Joint Statement on H.R. 7217,” magaziner.house.gov, (February 8, 2024).
“Many Democrats plan to boycott Netanyahu’s address to Congress due to Israel’s war in Gaza,” PBS News, (June 23, 2024). 

Photo: US House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.