Despite campaign promises, Magaziner does not live in the 2nd Congressional District

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island (WPRI) — When Congressman Seth Magaziner walked into his polling place to vote in the primary election last month, he didn't see his own name on the ballot.

That's because the 41-year-old Democrat doesn't live in Rhode Island's 2nd Congressional District — which he has represented for nearly two years — despite promising to take his family there as part of his successful 2022 campaign for the seat pull.

Tax records reviewed by Target 12 show that Magaziner and his wife actually purchased a home in the 2nd District in August 2023. But they also kept their home on Providence's East Side — represented by his House colleague Gabe Amo — and election records show Magaziner still lives and votes there.

“We bought a house in Cranston that we plan on moving into as soon as we renovate it,” Magaziner told Target 12 on Wednesday. “The project is taking longer than we thought, and to be honest, we're up for it put it on hold for a while because we unexpectedly got pregnant and just had a daughter.”

Cranston City Hall records show no building, electrical or plumbing permits were obtained for renovations to Magaziner's new home. He said the project “has become bigger than we expected.”

“It is still our intention to renovate the house and move in,” Magaziner said. “Nevertheless, I am confident that my ability to serve my constituents will not be compromised.” He has also noted in the past that his home in Providence is only about a mile from the county line.

Federal law only requires that members of Congress live in the state they represent, not the district. But Magaziner repeatedly promised during his campaign to move to the 2nd district.

And for a short time he did.

A month before the 2022 primary — in which Magaziner handily defeated a slew of other Democrats — he rented a house in Cranston's Edgewood neighborhood. Voting records show he voted from that address in the 2nd District in both the primary and general elections. He defeated Republican Allan Fung in the fall, 50% to 47%, in a race that drew national attention.

But Magaziner said the lease eventually expired and the home they purchased was not ready for occupancy.

“The owner of the house we rented asked for an extension of the lease for another 12 months,” he said. “At the time, we didn’t think it would take 12 months to renovate the new house.”

When a special election was held last November to fill the vacant 1st District seat that Amo ultimately won, Magaziner was eligible to cast a vote in Providence.

This time, Republican Associate Professor of History Steven Corvi is running against Magaziner. A mid-September poll conducted by the Pell Center at Salve Regina University showed Magaziner leading Corvi 50% to 37%, with 12% of voters undecided.

Magaziner's return to the 1st District means that not a single member of Rhode Island's congressional delegation currently resides in the 2nd District. Amo lives in Providence, while U.S. Senator Jack Reed lives in Jamestown and U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse lives in Newport.

But Magaziner said that doesn't mean the district doesn't have a strong voice in Washington.

“I’m all over the 2nd Congressional District,” Magaziner said. “I have brought back millions of dollars in funding for Cranston Police, Johnston Police, Coventry Police, infrastructure projects and education.”

“We deliver for the district,” he said.

Tim White ([email protected]) is Target 12's managing editor, senior investigative reporter and anchor of Newsmakers for 12 News. Connect with him Twitter and Facebook.

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