Candidates: Fifth Congressional District
Congresswoman Jahana Hayes, a Democrat from Wolcott, will face Republican challenger Chris Shea this November, seeking to represent Connecticut’s 5th Congressional District for a fifth consecutive term in Washington.
The District spans 41 municipalities in the northwest and central parts of the Nutmeg State, including Danbury, all of Litchfield County, the Farmington Valley, the Naugatuck Valley, Meriden, and Waterbury.
CANDIDATE: Jahana Hayes
OFFICE: Congresswoman (incumbent)
AGE AND PARTY: 53, Democrat
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: 4-terms representing the 5th CD
Hayes made history by becoming the first Black woman to represent a Connecticut district in Congress after winning the 2018 election. She was born in Waterbury and is a history teacher by trade. Hayes has attended Naugatuck Valley Community College and Southern Connecticut State University, University of Saint Joseph, and University of Bridgeport.
Her U.S. House of Representatives committee assignments include serving on the Committee on Education and Workforce, as well as the Agriculture Committee. She is also the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.
Prior to being in Congress, Hayes was a high school history teacher in Waterbury for about 15 years. There she was named Connecticut Teacher of the Year, later earning the National Teacher of the Year distinction in 2016.
Hayes says the immigrant communities in the district are vital to its culture and economy. She also wants to protect the border and national security interests but noted that she wants to protect the Constitutional rights of immigrants in America. Hayes also noted she wants to provide a pathway for citizenship for immigrants protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA policy instituted by President Barack Obama.
On affordability, Hayes says she wants to expand access to job opportunities and develop the district’s workforce. Some of the rising prices she lists that need to be addressed are for groceries, gas, and energy.
Hayes, on her website, said she wants to continue introducing and supporting legislation that will make veterans’ lives better. She highlighted that she has introduced legislation that increases the monthly rate of dependency and indemnity compensation payable to surviving spouses through the VA. Additionally, Hayes said her Waterbury district office is the only one in New England to be designated as a Purple Heart of Distinction because of her work in supporting veterans.
CANDIDATE: Chris Shea
OFFICE: Congressman (challenger)
AGE AND PARTY: 55, Republican
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Seeking first elected office
Chris Shea is a Watertown native and current Cheshire resident, in addition to being a firefighter for the North Haven Fire Department. He also is a founder of the nonprofit “Hero to Hero” in Cheshire and is a former Navy SEAL who began his Navy career in 1991.
Via his nonprofit, Shea has drawn on his experience as a military service member to help other veterans find their way after exiting active duty. Hero to Hero focuses on helping veterans transition into a different type of public service: that of a first responder. Shea himself has been a firefighter since 2009.
Shea earned his Bachelor's degree from Charter Oak State College. According to an interview in The New Haven Register, he came up with the idea for Hero to Hero while completing his degree at the online university and also being stationed at the Pentagon.
To appear on the ballot in November and challenge Hayes, Shea defeated Jonathan De Barros in the Republican Primary on Aug. 11 with 81% of the vote.
Shea says illegal immigration threatens Connecticut families, and he vows to help secure the border, enforce immigration laws, and stop the flow of drugs into the country.
Shea says Connecticut families are facing significant pressures from rising housing costs, heavy tax burdens, and high electricity bills. Shea notes that he wants to support a stronger economy by reducing barriers that drive up costs and promoting practical solutions to housing issues.
Regarding veterans’ affairs, Shea said he plans on drawing from his understanding of military service and the pathway to retiring from the service. He wants to improve access to benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), cutting through red tape that delays services, and facilitating access to healthcare and high-quality job opportunities.
