As a long time RJ guy, I get why some folks want to stay at their regional. But if a young person says they’ll be better off at their regional than at a mainline carrier…we’ll just look at Expressjet/ASA…they were long standing regional’s that - well went out of business with 55-60 year old pilots that “couldn’t afford to leave”.
I left a RJ company that I was senior at and lived in base…But once that company had no flying contract after a said date…I knew I had to make a change.
Your career will never be secure at an RJ company!
Even if the pay (right now seems to be better - the reality IS THAT IT WON’T BE LONG)

You are way better off at a Mainline Company…regardless of what the short term outlook seems.