CT’s GOP says it can win the 5th Congressional District race
Chris Shea, the Republican congressional candidate in Connecticut’s 5th District, said he sees an opening with unaffiliated voters which could help him defeat Democratic incumbent Rep. Jahana Hayes, in the general election in November.
Shea remains confident that he will win, even though many political analysts project Hayes will keep the 5th District seat.
“There's a lot of room to sway people, and a lot of room for people to move,” Shea said.
Shea isn’t the only Connecticut Republican running for Congress.
But several other Republicans and political analysts agree that the 5th District is competitive. This is due in part to voter registration records.
As of 2025, municipalities in the 5th District, like Waterbury, have more unaffiliated voters than registered Democrats or Republicans.
According to the Cook Partisan Voting Index, Hayes’ district doesn’t have as much of an overwhelming advantage for Democratic voter registrations as other parts of the state.
Shea said reaching out to t…