HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Top state Democrats campaigned alongside Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison on Thursday with 33 days until Election Day.
This year, Connecticut Democrats are looking to defend all five of Connecticut’s U.S. House seats, one U.S. Senate seat and commanding majorities in both chambers of the state legislature.
The race for Connecticut’s 5th Congressional District, which sees incumbent Democratic Sen. Jahana Hayes facing off in a rematch with former Republican State Sen. George Logan, has attracted attention and support from both national parties.
Harrison laid out the stakes of the election as Democrats see it.
“Democracy itself, American democracy itself, is on this ballot Nov. 5,” Harrison said.
The sense that former President Donald Trump, who frequently repeats the false claim that he won the 2020 election, represents an existential threat to the future of American democracy has animated Democrats across the country as they seek to retake the U.S. House and propel Vice President Kamala Harris to the presidency.
Harrison and the Connecticut Democrats also attacked Republicans on the issue of abortion.
“Kamala Harris is the only presidential candidate that can be trusted to protect and defend that fundamental freedom,” Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said of abortion rights. “The other side has decimated it at the national level.”
The Democratic focus on Trump, abortion and other nationwide issues reflects a broader shift in the nature of campaigning in state and local elections. One Democrat at the Thursday press conference observed that the age-old political adage that “all politics is local” might be fading in relevance as national issues become relevant in local races.
“All politics is now national and all politics is now cultural,” Comptroller Sean Scanlon said.
He said candidates he's supporting around Connecticut "are fighting about national issues" while running in local races. Still, Scanlon added, “We win elections based on when we make them local.”
A focus on local, “kitchen table” issues are exactly what state Republicans have in mind as they look to defy the prevailing political winds in a deep blue state during a presidential election year.
"[Democrats] can try to tie Donald Trump to Connecticut Republicans all they want, but at the end of the day, they are tied to a huge rock taking them down to the bottom of the Long Island Sound: the poor policies that the Democrats have made across this state for a number of years," State GOP Chair Ben Proto said.
Proto pinned rising consumer prices on the Democrats who control the state capitol.
"[Residents} can’t afford the high electric bills that Democrats have put in place,” Proto said. “They can’t afford the grocery prices that the Democrats have put in place. They can’t afford the gasoline prices that the Democrats have put in place.”
Both Proto and Harrison encouraged Connecticut voters to get out and vote.
“We’re about to enter the early voting phase for the first time in Connecticut, its important for people to come out and vote,” Proto said.
“If you don’t vote for yourself, vote for the people that you love," Harrison said. "Vote for a brighter future for your kids and your grandkids."
Early voting in Connecticut begins on Oct. 21. Election Day is Nov. 5.