Vice President Kamala Harris is traveling to Connecticut on Wednesday for a conversation about reproductive care. It's being held at Central Connecticut State University.
“It’s really nice to be recognized, especially by someone who has so much influence as Kamala Harris,” said Trinity Lettsome, a CCSU freshman.
But political experts believe the visit is also meant to drum up support for Congresswoman Jahana Hayes as she faces a tough fight to keep her job. And it comes as the race for the Fifth Congressional District seat appears more heated, with one forecast from Politico now calling it a tossup.
Officially, she’s stopping in New Britain for a conversation about actions the feds are taking to defend access to reproductive care. She’s being hosted by Hayes, who is just five weeks from a crucial Election Day.
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“We're seeing the vice president come into the Fifth District to shore up Jahana Hayes’ campaign. In the fifth district, the vice president, although she is not especially more popular than the president, she has some star power and she can generate some interest among the Democratic base, which has to turn out in the Fifth if Jahana Hayes is going to hold on to this seat,” said Scott McLean, Quinnipiac University political science professor.
Hayes’ republican challenger – George Logan – took part in a roundtable talk about crime and safety in New Britain on Tuesday.
He was joined by Wisconsin Representative Bryan Steil the day before the VP visit with Hayes.
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“They are desperate, right? Because we are surging in the polls. We are surging more importantly in the community and we have the better message,” said George Logan, R – Candidate for Fifth District.
Logan said besides crime, he’s focused on other issues including inflation and defends his stance on abortion and supports a women’s right to choose with some conditions.
As for Hayes, she believes fighting to protect reproductive rights is important to voters, along with economic concerns, and disputes her opponent’s claim that he has the momentum in the race.
“I will say you don’t go into this work without recognizing you have to work for it every single time and that’s what I do. I appreciate it. We energize voters, turn out voters. And I expect the same thing to happen this time,” Hayes said.
McLean said Hayes can’t just rely on incumbency this early in her career and she faces some tough headwinds for democrats nationally and here in what can be a very competitive Fifth District.
