Aaron Regunberg | |
|---|---|
| Member of theRhode Island House of Representatives from the 4th district | |
| In office January 6, 2015 – January 1, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Gordon Fox |
| Succeeded by | Rebecca Kislak |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1990-01-26)January 26, 1990 (age 36) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Relatives | Brad Schneider (uncle) |
| Education | Brown University (BA) Harvard University (JD) |
Jonathan Aaron Regunberg[1] (born January 26, 1990) is an American lawyer andprogressive politician who served as the member of theRhode Island House of Representatives for the 4th district from 2015 to 2019. He was a candidate for the Democratic nomination forlieutenant governor of Rhode Island in 2018. He was a candidate for the Democratic nomination in the2023 special election forRhode Island's 1st congressional district.
Regunberg is a native of Chicago. His father, Jonathan Regunberg, died in a plane crash before Aaron was born.[2] Regunberg's grandfather was born in Germany, and immigrated to the United States in 1948 after survivingthe Holocaust.[3][4] Regunberg's uncle is U.S. RepresentativeBrad Schneider fromIllinois's 10th congressional district[5] Aaron and his sister were raised by their mother, Erica Regunberg, in theRavenswood neighborhood of Chicago.[6]
Regunberg graduatedmagna cum laude fromBrown University in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts degree inpolitical science.[7] While at Brown, Regunberg co-founded the Providence Student Union, a youth-led public school student advocacy organization that has organized around issues includingethnic studies curricula,[8] infrastructure repairs,[9] free student bus passes,[10] and an end to school closings and high-stakes testing.[11]
Regunberg attendedHarvard Law School, receiving a J.D. in 2022.[1]
In 2014, Regunberg was elected to serve Rhode Island House District 4 on theEast Side of Providence.
In the race for Rhode Island House District 4, Regunberg won 51.5% of the vote in the Democratic primary against challengers Heather Tow-Yick and Miriam Ross, who won 33.9% and 14.6%, respectively. He received the endorsement of theProgressive Democrats of Rhode Island,Clean Water Action,Planned Parenthood, and progressive labor organizations. He went on to defeat independent candidate Ethan Gyles in the general election, 83% to 17%.[12]Regunberg ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and in the general election for Rhode Island House District 4.
During his first term as state Representative, Regunberg introduced and passed legislation raising Rhode Island'stipped minimum wage for the first time in 20 years, established online voter registration, and created newrenewable energy programs.[13] He also introduced and passed legislation to guarantee earnedpaid sick days for over 100,000 Rhode Islanders,[14] and pushed for a state-levelcarbon pricing system,[15]single-payer healthcare system,[16] and a moreprogressive tax system, among other proposals.[17] He also chaired a special legislative study commission to reform the use ofsolitary confinement in Rhode Island.[18]
Regunberg served as a member of the Rules Committee for theDemocratic National Convention in July 2016, where he was a leader in the campaign to reform the Democratic Party's use ofsuperdelegates in future presidential nominating contests.[19]
AfterDonald Trump's election in 2016, Aaron Regunberg worked locally to resist the Trump administration's agenda. He co-founded Resist Hate RI, a coalition of activists and organizations that mobilized hundreds of Rhode Island residents to take state and federal action in opposition to the Trump administration.[20] He introduced legislation that would divest Rhode Island from any companies that contracted to help build Trump's proposedborder wall with Mexico.[21]
Regunberg received a 74% score fromCommon Cause Rhode Island in their 2015-2016 legislative scorecard,[22] and an A rating from the Environmental Council of Rhode Island.[23]
For the 2015 legislative session, Regunberg served on the following Rhode Island House of Representatives committees:[12]
During the 2017 legislative session, Regunberg served on the following Rhode Island House of Representatives committees:[13]
In late October 2017, Regunberg announced that he would run to become thelieutenant governor of Rhode Island in the2018 election.[24] He ran against incumbent lieutenant governorDan Mckee in the Democratic primary. In his announcement speech, Regunberg said that if elected, he would be a voice "for all of the Rhode Islanders who can’t afford that State House lobbyist," and campaigned on a progressive platform, including as one of the earliest supporters of aGreen New Deal. His bid received national attention whenCNN named it one of the "9 Democratic primaries to watch in 2018."[25]
Regunberg's campaign was endorsed by many progressive organizations and politicians throughoutRhode Island.
In March 2018, Regunberg received the endorsement ofProvidenceMayorJorge Elorza.[26]
Regunberg was defeated in the Democratic primary election by incumbent Dan McKee, receiving 49% of the vote to McKee's 51%.[27]
After the election, Regunberg served as a Senior Policy Advisor to Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza. In the summer of 2019, he was arrested as a part of aNever Again Action protest against President Donald Trump's immigration reforms.[28]
Regunberg was a candidate in the2023 special election forRhode Island's 1st congressional district.[29] Leaving his job as a legal clerk in U.S. District Court in Providence to run for the open seat, he was endorsed bySenator Bernie Sanders,[30]Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,[31] theWorking Families Party,[32] CongressmanJamie Raskin,[33] and theCongressional Progressive Caucus.[33] He was also endorsed by several local officials, including former state senator J. Clement “Bud” Cicilline, the uncle of former Rep.David Cicilline. Following his endorsement of Regunberg, former Sen. Cicilline stated that Regunberg reminded him of his nephew.[34]
Despite several election prognosticators viewing Regunberg as a favorite, he was defeated byGabe Amo in the September 5 primary.
Regunberg is a contributing writer forThe New Republic starting in 2021.[35]