Winner Revealed In CT 5th District Republican Congressional Primary

Chris Shea won the Republican primary in Connecticut's 5th Congressional District Tuesday, earning the party's nomination to challenge Democratic U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes in November.

With 20 percent of votes counted, Shea had received 80 percent of the ballots compared with 20 percent for Jonathan De Barros, according to The Associated Press.

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The primary pitted Shea, a Cheshire resident, retired Navy SEAL and North Haven firefighter who won the Connecticut Republican Party's endorsement, against De Barros, a Terryville resident who qualified to challenge him for the nomination.

Shea entered the race in January, pitching himself as a political outsider with military and first responder experience. He also founded Hero to Hero, a nonprofit that encourages military veterans to pursue careers as first responders.

De Barros ran as an anti-establishment candidate and drew attention for his attacks on Republican leaders.

Shea's victory keeps the party-endorsed candidate on course for what Republicans hope will be another competitive race in a district that has repeatedly drawn national attention.

Shea now faces Hayes, who has represented the 5th District since 2019.

Hayes won reelection in 2024 with 53.4 percent of the vote in a rematch against Republican George Logan. Two years earlier, Logan came within roughly one percentage point of defeating Hayes, making the district Connecticut's closest congressional contest that year.

Logan opted not to seek the Republican nomination again in 2026, opening the door for a new challenger.

The 5th Congressional District stretches across much of western and northwestern Connecticut and includes Danbury, New Britain, Waterbury and communities throughout the Litchfield Hills and Farmington Valley.

Republicans have repeatedly targeted the seat as their best opportunity to break Democrats' hold on Connecticut's congressional delegation.

Hayes, a former National Teacher of the Year, was first elected to Congress in 2018 and became the first Black woman to represent Connecticut in Congress.