Connecticut’s five Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives were coronated on Monday as members of their party renominated them each to run for another two-year term Congress.
At district conventions held in East Hartford, Coventry, Orange, Norwalk and Waterbury, local Democratic delegates threw their unanimous support behind Rep. John Larson, 1st District; Rep. Joe Courtney, 2nd District; Rep. Rosa DeLauro, 3rd District; Rep. Jim Himes, 4th District; and Rep. Jahana Hayes, 5th District.
The gatherings were rather routine since none of the incumbents faced an upstart Democratic challenger. But the events still served as an energizing force as Connecticut Democrats prepare to defend their hold on every congressional seat in the state.
The Democratic candidates used the opportunity to highlight the various pieces of legislation that they helped to pass when they were in control of Congress.
Himes, who represents Connecticut’s Fourth Congressional District, which is predominantly made up of towns and cities in Fairfield County, discussed his support for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has provided billions of dollars to the state for rail, highway and other projects.
DeLauro, who represents the Third Congressional District, which is based around New Haven, talked about her leadership in expanding the federal child tax credit and federal funding for child care.
“The American dream is on life support,” DeLauro said Monday. “The cost of living has risen year after year. New corporations are making supercharged profits, gouging consumers on everything from food to medicine.”
And in Waterbury, Hayes, who is running for her fourth term representing Connecticut’s Fifth congressional district, cited her support for federal laws that sought to address gun violence, student debt and climate change.
Another major topic at the district conventions was women’s reproductive rights, which has become an animating issue in elections across the country since the Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion in 2022.
With fundraising advantages and decades of name recognition, the members of Connecticut’s current congressional delegation are likely to hold a significant advantage entering the presidential election year.
Connecticut Republicans haven’t held a congressional seat since 2009.
But that doesn’t mean that Republican are without hope. The most competitive race this year is likely to be in the Fifth District, where Hayes could face former state Sen. George Logan in a rematch from two years ago.
Logan lost the 2022 election to Hayes by fewer than 500 votes.
Hayes, a former teacher, said she expected a close race again this year, and she implored her supporters to do everything they can to boost her campaign once again.
Hayes used her time on stage Monday night to sharpen her attack against Logan.
She took issue with his recent campaign stops with U.S. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, who led attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. And she also sought to tie Logan directly to former President Donald Trump, who is also expected to be on the ticket in November.
Hayes reminded local party officials of what has happened since Republicans took control of the U.S. House two years ago.
She told the crowd of several hundred Democrats who gathered in Waterbury that the current Republican majority in the U.S. House is in “disarray,” and she implored them to send her back to Washington to make sure the next speaker is a Democrat.
“Do not reward them with two more years in the majority,” she said to loud applause.
