Democratic lawmakers from Connecticut hold a major fundraising advantage months before an unpredictable election this fall as outside spending picks up in the state’s most competitive race for the 5th Congressional District.
U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-5th District, outraised Republican candidate George Logan between the months of April and June: the congresswoman brought in more than $900,000, compared to Logan’s haul of about $602,000. Hayes’ uptick in fundraising comes after Logan raised more money than she did for the past two quarters.
During that same stretch, Logan narrowly outspent Hayes. But she headed into July with twice as much money in her campaign account as Logan. She has more than $2 million in the bank, while Logan has a little over $1 million.
Because of the state conventions held in May, federal candidates in Connecticut were required to file two separate campaign finance reports with the Federal Election Commission that covered fundraising and spending over the past three months.
Hayes and Logan are expected to face off in a rematch after the congresswoman won reelection by a little over 2,000 votes in 2022. A Republican from Connecticut has not served in the U.S. House since 2009, but the party sees the 5th District as its best chance to break through in a blue state like Connecticut.
“While Republicans are trying to pour out-of-state money into this race, I am proud that our campaign is powered by overwhelming support from the people of our district making an investment in me,” Hayes said in a statement, adding that contributors “know what’s at stake this election.”
The fundraising for both 5th District candidates has vastly improved since their nationally watched campaigns in 2022.
Hayes' reports filed on Monday night showed her best fundraising quarter of both the 2022 and 2024 election cycles.
Logan’s fundraising, meanwhile, has been more stagnant since he entered the race, but he kept up his pace from the previous three-month period. And he has raised significantly more money in his current campaign than when he first ran for Congress.
"Our fundraising continues to reflect the momentum and energy we’re feeling throughout the district," Logan, a former state senator, said in a statement. "Our communities and our nation are in need of change and a new direction, and that’s why I’m running for Congress."
National groups are planning to once again get involved in the high-stakes race, especially with the House majority on the line. In 2022, Connecticut's 5th District saw upwards of $12 million in spending between both parties and outside groups.
So far, the National Republican Congressional Committee — House Republicans' main campaign operation — has reserved $1.3 million in the Hartford media market to run ads to help boost Logan.
NRCC Chairman Richard Hudson, R-N.C., said the initial ad reservations will give candidates like Logan "firepower to remind voters of the Biden border, crime and inflation crises wreaking havoc on their daily lives."
For outside groups backing Democrats, the League of Conservation Voters made a smaller six-figure digital ad buy to benefit a number of Democratic candidates including Hayes. The ads will credit these members for their work on "protect[ing] progress on cleaner cars and trucks that protect our health, boost family-supporting manufacturing jobs and fight the climate crisis."
Republicans have sought to put the 5th District in play for the past few cycles but still face a challenging landscape, especially in a presidential year with Democratic nominees winning Connecticut since 1992.
The last Republican to represent the 5th District was former Rep. Nancy Johnson, who lost reelection in 2006 to Democrat Chris Murphy, who is now a U.S. senator.
But the 2024 elections have become mired in uncertainty and high tension as Democrats grapple with President Joe Biden's political future after a weak debate performance and Republicans rally behind former President Donald Trump after an assassination attempt.
Republicans are in Milwaukee this week for their convention to formally nominate Trump as the GOP nominee alongside his running mate, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio. Logan and a number of other Connecticut Republicans seeking office this fall are not attending the convention. Following the shooting at Trump's rally, Logan posted online that he is "praying for President Trump and the United States of America."
While Logan has not made public statements specifically on whether he supports Trump, the Waterbury Republican American reported last month that Logan told attendees at a rally in Kent to turn off devices and then told them he voted for the former president in 2016 and 2020 and plans to do so again in November.
But Logan is not the only candidate facing questions over the top of the ticket.
As Biden faces calls from within his own party to withdraw from the race, Hayes and others in Connecticut lawmakers have been asked whether they still support the president as the Democratic nominee and if he remains fit for office. U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-4th District, is the only member of the state's congressional delegation to publicly urge Biden to drop out of the presidential election.
Nearly a week and a half after Biden's debate, Hayes said in an interview that she continues to support the Biden administration's agenda. And over the weekend, the congresswoman put out a much longer statement about sticking with Biden. She also said she believes Vice President Kamala Harris is well-suited for the job if Biden is no longer at the top of the ticket.
"All day, every day, I’ll take an old man over a con man. I’ll take someone who will make sure that we are caring for people at home and stabilized on the world stage. A president who acts to protect people I represent," Hayes said.
"I support President Biden because of the policies of the Biden-Harris administration," she added. "I saw a horrible debate, but I’ve seen 3 1/2 years of effective policy that must continue. And if for any reason the president can no longer serve, Vice President Harris can do the job. She’s ready on day one, and our agenda proceeds."
Connecticut Democrats running in other federal races have also significantly widened their fundraising leads, even with many of them facing much easier prospects in their reelection races.
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., raised $1.4 million over the past three months and spent over $730,000. He grew his already hefty bank account to $9.7 million.
Republican candidates running against Murphy do not even come close to his fundraising haul. Beacon Falls First Selectman Gerry Smith, who won the endorsement of the Connecticut GOP, raised $26,000 with only $5,000 in his campaign account. Another GOP senate candidate, U.S. Navy veteran Matthew Corey, raised $30,000 with about $28,000 in the bank.
The rest of the Democratic incumbents easily outraised their Republican opponents, with the exception of the race for the 2nd District in the eastern part of Connecticut.
U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney only narrowly outraised Republican candidate Mike France, who is seeking a rematch this fall. Courtney raised $170,000 in the last three months, while France brought in $160,000. But the congressman still holds a major cash advantage: Courtney has over $625,000 to spend, while France has only $53,000.
This story was originally published by the Connecticut Mirror.
