Congressional District 2: Magaziner in attack mode in congressional debate; Fung pushes back

Trailing in the polls three weeks before Election Day, Democrat Seth Magaziner went on the attack Tuesday in a televised 2nd Congressional District debate accusing Republican Allan Fung of siding with big business over working people.

Fung, looking to break the Democratic stranglehold on New England House seats, has hammered Magaziner for growing up in a rich family and supporting Democratic spending in Washington which he argues has contributed to high inflation.

He did so again Tuesday night in the debate hosted by WPRI-TV at the Providence Performing Arts Center, blaming Magaziner, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Joe Biden for the high price of goods ranging from gasoline to eggs.

But Magaziner, even more than he did in Monday's Providence Journal/Public's Radio forum, looked to strike a populist tone on the economy, blaming oil company price gouging for inflation and accusing Fung of helping them.

"Allan supported the Trump tax cuts that put trillions of dollars in the hands of millionaires and billionaires. If you think there is too much money in the system, that is where there is too much money in the system," Magaziner said in the opening exchange on inflation. "He opposed measures to help working people get ahead, like the Inflation Reduction Act, which lowers the cost of prescription drugs, especially for seniors..."

"Just like President Biden, his hero who wants to serve as president again, he is out of touch with realities," Fung responded. "Mr. Magaziner supported the [Transportation Climate Initiative] tax that would add additional taxes on gas as well as home heating oil. He also supports that inflation reduction act that includes billions of new taxes..."

Abortion

With Fung holding a narrow polling lead in a Democratic state, he's repeatedly distanced himself from the national GOP agenda and called Magaziner's characterizations of his positions "lies."

At the top of the list is abortion, where Fung recently came out against Sen. Lindsey Graham's abortion ban bill and "could support" a Sen. Susan Collins bill described as a codification of Roe. v. Wade.

"I do not and never said and will never support a national abortion ban or criminalizing abortion and that is where I stand on this position," Fung said Tuesday.

Monday's debate: Congressional District 2: Fung, Magaziner, Gilbert reveal where they stand on key issues

The two candidates now disagree on whether Rhode Island's Reproductive Privacy Act --- which Magaziner supported and Fung opposed when it passed in 2019 -- codifies the Roe v. Wade rules in place before this year or goes beyond it.

"What I support is going back to Roe v. Wade, what we had before his extreme judges ripped those rights away," Magaziner said when asked whether he supports any restrictions on abortion. "Under Roe v. Wade, states had the ability to put reasonable limitations on abortion."

Fung: "That law went beyond Roe."

Police

Magaziner attacked Fung for dysfunction in the Cranston Police Department while he was mayor that led to a parking ticket retaliation scandal and the takeover of the department by the Rhode Island State Police.

Fung attacked Magaziner for marching in 2020 with protestors who wanted to defund the police.

"That old adage a picture is worth a thousand words: he tweeted that photo out that he was proud to march with those individuals that had that sign to not only defund, but abolish the police department," he said.

Magaziner said he didn't support defunding the police "full stop."

"Outside this debate when Allan Fung walked in he walked by a whole bunch of people holding Seth Magaziner signs," he said. "I am guessing you didn't agree with them. I was marching with thousands of people and one of them was holding a sign I didn't agree with: big deal."

On the state police takeover, Magaziner brought back the State Police report used against Fung in his unsuccessful campaign for governor that Magaziner said he "tried to bury from being released to the public," and "said the department was being run like the Mafia and he was ultimately responsible."

Fung: "I inherited a police department that had issues for decades. I was the one who fixed those departments."

Out of touch

Fung and Magaziner sparred over which of them was an out of touch elitist.

"When I first ran for governor, my family, the most they gave me is $1000. I don’t have a family who miraculously can give him, at 30 years old, $800,000 to start his career in politics," Fung said of Magaziner and the campaign seed money he has said was a family gift. "Those are the answers he has never been held accountable to."

Magaziner: "None of us in life control the fate we are born into, but what we do control, what each of us can choose to control is what we fight for and in my entire career I have fought for working people. In contrast Allan chose a long time ago to sell out to the big industries, starting when he was an insurance industry lobbyist."

Election 2022 Update: Magaziner pollster says Dem trails Fung by just 3 points

Magaziner repeatedly asked Fung to pledge not to vote for a speaker of the House who refused to certify Biden's election victory, which includes GOP leader Kevin McCarthy.

Fung would say only that he would vote to remove Pelosi.

The candidates agreed on a few things.

Both said they would support legalizing marijuana at the federal level.

Both said they would protect same sex marriage in federal law.

Both said they would support term limits for members of congress.

Fung said he is opposed to expanding the Supreme Court while Magaziner said he was open to discussing it, but would prefer term limits for justices

Guns

They did not agree on whether there should be a federal assault rifle ban.

Magaziner supports an assault weapons ban like the one that expired in 2004.

"I would support any legislation that would get firearms out of the hands of criminals and people with serious mental health issues, but not take away the rights of law abiding citizens and responsible firearms owners," Fung said.

Pressed on whether this means he opposes it, Fung said "I will take a serious look at it."

Social security

As he did in Monday's debate, Fung pointed to his mother, who is receiving Social Security, as proof he would not do anything to cut Social Security benefits.

"She is one of hundreds of thousands mothers, fathers and grandparents in Rhode Island who rely on that Social Security check," he said "I will not do anything, unlike what Seth Magaziner is outright lying again in his ads, to impact her and other recipients of Social Security."

Magaziner: "I am not going to vote for a leadership team in Congress that wants to cut Social Security and Medicare. Allan has given his allegiance to a group of people who have said it is one of their top priorities."

Fung: "I will be an independent voice standing up for Rhode Island values.

panderson@providencejournal.com

(401) 277-7384

On Twitter: @PatrickAnderso_

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Fung, Magaziner square off again in congressional debate