Joshua Miller (politician)

When District 28 Democratic Senator Elizabeth H. Roberts ran for Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island, Miller ran in the four-way September 12, 2006 Democratic Primary, winning with 173 votes (53.9%),[3] and won the November 7, 2006 General election, winning with 7,744 votes (77.1%) against Republican nominee Ivan Marte.[4] Miller was unopposed for the September 9, 2008 Democratic Primary, winning with 667 votes,[5] and won the November 4, 2008 General election with 7,366 votes (64.9%) against Republican nominee Robert Clarkin,[6] who had run a House seat in 2002 and 2004.

Miller was unopposed for the September 23, 2010 Democratic Primary, winning with 1,770 votes,[7] and won the November 2, 2010 General election with 4,843 votes (56.5%) against Republican nominee Donald Normandin and Independent candidate Delores Issler.[8] Miller and returning 2008 Republican challenger Robert Clarkin were both unopposed their September 11, 2012 primaries,[9] setting up a rematch; Miller won the November 6, 2012 General election with 7,119 votes (69.0%) against Clarkin.[10]

In March 2014, Dan Bidondi of "Truthradio.com," a gun-rights activist and writer for the conspiracy theory website Infowars, approached Miller with a microphone and camera in the Rhode Island State House rotunda during a hearing on gun legislation.[11][12] Bidondi had previously gained attention for showing up at news conferences on the Boston Marathon bombing to yelled out questions about whether the attack was a "false flag."[11] In the ensuing confrontation, Miller told Bidondi to "go fuck yourself."[11][12] In a statement the following day, Miller apologized, stating that "regardless of the emotions and atmosphere of the moment, it does not justify the language I used that day. Out of respect for the decorum of the State House and the constituents I represent, I offer my apologies."[12]

In 2014, he was serving as the Rhode Island Senate Health and Human Services Committee chairman. That year, he and Edith Ajello held a press conference to announce that they will introduce a bill to legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana similarly to alcohol.[13] As of May 2017, he and Scott A. Slater were the primary sponsors of legislation to legalize marijuana.[14]