U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, running for reelection in Connecticut’s Fifth Congressional District , said Tuesday that she believes America is ready for Vice President Kamala Harris as the nation’s next leader. After weeks of “rumblings” in the Democratic caucus, Hayes said the party is now united around electing Harris.
“I feel strong and energized,” Hayes said in an interview with Connecticut Public. “There is just a fresh energy that is in the Democratic caucus. People are excited. People are reaching out to help.”
Harris has secured the support of enough Democratic delegates to become her party’s nominee against Republican Donald Trump, according to an Associated Press survey. Top Democrats rallied to her in the aftermath of President Joe Biden’s decision to drop his bid for reelection.
The quick coalescing behind Harris marked an attempt by Democrats to put weeks of internal party drama over Biden’s political future behind them and to unify behind the task of defeating Trump with just over 100 days until Election Day. Prominent Democratic elected officials, party leaders and political organizations quickly lined up behind Harris in the day after Biden's exit from the race. Meanwhile, Harris' campaign set a new 24-hour record for presidential donations on Monday.
Whether that surge in donations has a down-ballot effect for Connecticut campaigns remains to be seen.
But Hayes says she's heard from people in recent days who want to host events and help raise money for her Congressional campaign.
As of the end of June, Hayes had twice as much money in her campaign account as her Republican opponent, George Logan: more than $2 million on hand, compared to Logan’s $1 million.
Hayes says Americans are ready to elect a female president
Harris is the first woman, Black person and person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president.
With Biden’s endorsement, she would shatter several more barriers if elected president.
Hayes said America is ready for a female leader, despite Donald Trump defeating Hillary Clinton in 2016.
“I know from my own experience that elections are about timing,” Hayes said. “Maybe people weren't ready in 2016 but so much has happened since then. And the contrast could not be more clear.”
“I think people are just embracing women in a different way,” Hayes said. “I can tell you from my own experience that it translates into policy.”
Following recent Supreme Court decisions surrounding reproductive health, women are increasingly internalizing the need to get involved in politics “not only as participants, but as leaders,” Hayes said.
Calling out racism, Hayes says she fully supports Harris
Misogynistic and racist comments are not new to Black women in positions of power, Hayes said.
“I can tell you that I've experienced things like that,” Hayes said. “But you just work harder and you recognize that the good people outnumber those people.”
Hayes said recent remarks by Ben Proto, chair of the Connecticut Republican Party, saying Harris got her job because of “gender and racial politics,” were both “offensive and insulting.”
“It's not just in the corners of the internet,” Hayes said. “Ben Proto just said the other day, ‘she is a DEI hire,’ and that really is a racist, sexist comment.”
Hayes also pushed back against recent reports alleging she privately shared concerns about Democrats setting Harris up for failure this election cycle.
“They weren't correct,” Hayes said. “I don't put stock in anonymous leakers.”
Instead, Hayes said, “my questions were, in essence, about what is the process, what are the next steps?”
“That question was not being answered. And I said, ‘without these answers, it is a setup for failure to throw anybody at the top of the ticket when we don't even have a plan for what happens next,’” Hayes said.
Hayes said she has always supported Harris and that her “comments were out of care and concern for someone who I have a deep friendship and relationship with.”
“To say: Does she have the support of this caucus? And I can tell you that there were rumblings in the caucus, so I was concerned about making sure that we are all united,” Hayes said.
Now, Democrats are, Hayes said.
“I think it took the last couple of weeks for us to get to this place. It took us locking ourselves in a room and hearing all perspectives and letting people talk about the things that they were concerned about,” Hayes said.
“But I can tell you that throughout all that time, one thing never faded,” Hayes said, “and that was our commitment to unifying against the vision that Donald Trump is presenting for America.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
