District: CT-05
Cook Political Ranking: Likely D
Performance Voter Index: D+3
Rep. Hayes has been serving as the U.S. House Representative for the 5th congressional district of Connecticut since 2019. Notably, Hayes was the first Black woman to ever represent the state of Connecticut in Congress. Prior to Congress, Hayes was a high school teacher and was selected in 2016 as the Teacher of the Year in Connecticut and earned the distinction of National Teacher of the Year.

Connecticut’s 5th congressional district encompasses major cities such as Danbury, Meriden, Waterbury, and New Britain. Under new lines, this district remains a likely Democratic district. In the 2024 race, Rep. Hayes faced off and ultimately defeated GOP challenger and former state senator George Logan by 6 points (23,010 votes). During the 2024 cycle, Hayes raised $4 million, and her opponent, Logan, raised $2.8 million. More than a dozen super PACs, national party committees, politically active nonprofits, and other non-candidate groups together spent more than $3 million. This is Rep. Hayes’s fourth time seeking reelection in this district.