Republican challenger George Logan is looking to unseat Democratic incumbent Jahana Hayes in the 5th District, which is considered Connecticut’s most competitive congressional seat.
Speaking on Connecticut Public Radio’s Where We Live, Logan said if elected to Congress, he’ll focus on problems related to inflation and affordability.
“I absolutely would describe myself as a proud Connecticut Republican,” Logan said. “I’m more moderate when it comes to dealing with social issues and more conservative leaning when it comes to financial, fiscal issues.”
Logan previously served for two terms as a state senator. He has been cross-endorsed by the Independent Party. Logan is trained as an engineer and plays guitar in a Jimi Hendrix tribute band.
His opponent, Jahana Hayes, appeared on Where We Live last month. She touted her record in Congress, including voting forthe American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package Congress passed in March 2021.
Here are some highlights from Connecticut Public’s interview with Logan.
On abortion
Logan said he’s consistently supported women's rights, including access to an abortion, “as long as it’s safe, legal, and rare.”
He called attention to what he described as fear tactics from Democrats who he said were distorting his record on the issue.
If elected, Logan said he would “absolutely not” support any national ban on abortion. But he said his support for abortion rights comes “with restrictions.”
“I’m adamantly opposed to late-term abortion,” Logan said, noting he would support exceptions for medical emergencies.
Hayes recently took part in a discussion with Vice President Kamala Harris and the national president of Planned Parenthood on abortion rights.
On the economy
Logan said the economy should be receiving wider attention from Democrats.
He called the Inflation Reduction Act – a massive health, tax, and climate bill that President Biden signed into law in August – an “excessive spending [package] that has not reduced inflation.”
Logan said he disagreed with provisions in the bill that addressed climate issues – saying they should have been in their own bill.
According to NPR, “the bill includes $60 billion for boosting renewable energy infrastructure in manufacturing, like solar panels and wind turbines, and includes tax credits for electric vehicles and measures to make homes more energy efficient.”
It also requires the government to auction off more public space for oil drilling, according to The New York Times.
Logan said more domestic drilling needs to happen while America works to wean itself off of fossil fuels.
“We have the federal reserve lands that are available where we can produce all of the gas and the oil that we need,” Logan said. “I think that is the best way for us to control our energy costs.”
Hayes, who voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, told Where We Live last month that a small percentage of companies control an inordinate amount of wealth, which she believes drives up costs and introduces supply chain instability.
“We really have to look differently at the way we do business in this country,” Hayes said, adding that increasing America’s energy independence also needs to be prioritized to ensure “everything is not contingent upon the whims of the global economy.”
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the Inflation Reduction Act will have little impact on inflation in 2022 and 2023.
On the results of the 2020 presidential election
When asked if President Joe Biden was elected fairly, Logan said, “everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion.
“There’s no confusion on my end – President Biden is president of the United States of America,” Logan said. “I have absolutely no interest – whatsoever – in going back and Monday-morning quarterbacking the presidential election.”
When asked again if Biden “is president and it was a fair election,” Logan said, “Joe Biden certainly is president of the United States. We have our election process. Certainly, it always can be improved,” he said. “But it’s the fairest process in all of the planet Earth.”
“There’s no issue on my end in terms of whether President Joe Biden is the commander in chief of the United States of America,” Logan said. “I just don’t like the job that he’s doing – and I want to go down to Washington to bring some better checks and balances.”
Watch the full interview on Connecticut Public Radio’s Where We Live.
