Populist Coalition Builder, David Segal, Runs for Congress in Rhode Island

By David Dayen, The American Prospect

It’s not exactly a secret that the midterms are likely to lead to divided government. Should that happen, opportunities for progressive advances narrow to a handful of discrete issues with transpartisan support. I’m not talking about the usual bipartisanship that reveals itself as a stalking horse for corporate interests. There are some issues—like war policy, Big Tech dominance, taking down the ocean shipping cartel—where the divide is not necessarily left vs. right, but populist vs. establishment.

The singular figure at the center of practically all previous transpartisan coalitions in Washington over the past decade, and more in his home state before that, is running for Congress. David Segal, a candidate for the open seat in Rhode Island’s second congressional district, is one of the few Democrats campaigning on his ability to be effective no matter who controls the House.

“A moment like this is one where it’s all the more important to elect people with a demonstrated track record on issues,” Segal said in an interview in May. “I got legislation on renewable energy and criminal justice [in Rhode Island] with one of the most right-wing governors in the country. I stopped cuts to city and state government. I’ve been able to forward an agenda on war powers reform even with Republican majorities in the House. The monopoly issue I’ve been working on is one with some genuine cross-partisan esteem.”

Segal is running in a field of six to replace retiring Rep. Jim Langevin; the primary, one of the nation’s last, is September 13. The current front-runner is Rhode Island state treasurer Seth Magaziner, the son of Ira Magaziner, policy advisor and architect of the ill-fated Clinton health care plan. In addition to having run statewide, Magaziner has outraised the field and holds several major endorsements.