Student debt relief, term limits, Supreme Court size: RI congressional candidates stand?

Democrats competing for U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin's seat in Congress split openly on issues like canceling student loan debt and restructuring the U.S. Supreme Court during Tuesday night's live debate on WPRI.

Overall; however, the four candidates on the stage — Seth Magaziner, Sarah Morgenthau, Joy Fox, and David Segal — were in lockstep on most of the questions that moderators Tim White and Ted Nesi lobbed their way.

All agreed with a ban on assault-style rifles like the AR-15, legalizing marijuana on the federal level, passing the Reproductive Freedom For All Act, and banning members of Congress from trading stocks.

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All similarly said they'd vote for Nancy Pelosi to remain House Speaker (Segal, the most progressive of the group, explained that recent developments like the cancellation of a chunk of student loan debt demonstrated that "big ideas" had taken hold in the Democratic Party in the wake of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential campaigns.)

A fifth candidate, Omar Bah, is also running but said that he was excluded from debate because he does not meet the criteria set by WPRI's parent company Nexstar, which take polling and fundraising into account.

Where the candidates parted ways

Few sparks flew during the policy-heavy debate, and candidates largely stuck to reciting their well-honed talking points. But, with some prodding, the moderators were able expose a handful of areas where the candidates weren't on the same page.

The Biden administration's decision to cancel up to $10,000 of student loan debt, and up to $20,000 of debt for Pell Grant recipients

Morgenthau said she supported the move, which she described as a "necessary investment." Fox said that it was a "good starting point."

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Segal said that he would like to "go even a bit further" and cancel at least $50,000 in student loan debt, as U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren had previously suggested.

Magaziner said that he would have tackled the issue in a different way — by lowering interest rates on student loans. The federal government is "in most cases" the lender on student loans, he said, and should not be "making a profit off of people’s student loans."

Whether Biden should seek re-election 

Morgenthau said yes. Segal said that most Democrats feel that it is "a little too soon to say." Fox said she would support Biden if he chooses to run again and is the nominee. Magaziner said that Biden had "been on a roll lately, and if he chooses to run again I think he'll earn the support of most Americans."

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Term limits for Supreme Court justices 

Fox and Segal said that they support the idea, while Magaziner said he would "most likely support" it. Morgenthau was opposed.

'Packing the court' by increasing the number of Supreme Court justices

Both Fox and Segal said they were open to the idea but that it should be instituted as part of a larger suite of reforms. Magaziner and Morgenthau said they did not support court-packing because a Republican administration could do the same thing.

Term limits for members of Congress

Morgenthau was opposed. "Elections are term limits," she said.

Segal agreed, saying that term limits would afford too much power to lobbyists.

Fox said that it was "ultimately up to the voter" but she would support the idea. She did not immediately have an answer to what those term limits should be.

Magaziner was also in support. "I don't think politics should be a lifelong profession," he said. Asked what the limits should be, he responded, "Probably four to five terms."

Where to get ice cream in Rhode Island

Closing out the debate on a lighter note, the candidates were asked to name the best place in the district to get ice cream. Morgenthau and Magaziner both named Brickley's, which has locations in Wakefield and Narragansett.  Fox's answer was Vanilla Bean, which is located near South Kingstown Town Beach in Matunuck. Segal pointed to Tricycle Ice Cream, in the West End of Providence.

Frontrunner Magaziner faces mild pushback

Magaziner, the frontrunner in the race, has a significant lead in fundraising and polling.

Fox nonetheless noted that he has been unable to get more than 40% of support in polls and most voters remain undecided.

She reiterated the argument that she's been making throughout her campaign: That her "deep roots in the district" make her a stronger candidate to go up against Republican Allan Fung.

Magaziner countered that he had spent the past eight years as state treasurer "working in every community" in the district and was "the only candidate who has won election anywhere in the Second Congressional District." (Segal later added a correction: He had represented a portion of the district when he served in the General Assembly, he said.)

Morgenthau, reiterating an argument that she's also made throughout her campaign, said that Rhode Island needed to send a Democratic woman to Congress,

However, when asked if any women who have held elected office in the state had endorsed her, she was unable to name any. She instead noted that she had experience working in the Obama and Biden administrations.

Magaziner said that he had been endorsed by "prominent" female elected officials, including Rep. Anastasia Williams and Sen. Bridget Valverde, and the National Organization for Women.

"They’ve seen that I show up," he said.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Student loan relief, term limits for Congress divide CD2 candidates