Connecticut Democrats Set New US House Electoral Record
The party breaks a mark set by Republicans in the state more than a century ago
With the call on Thursday of Connecticut’s 5th Congressional District in favor of two-term incumbent Jahana Hayes, Democrats swept all five U.S. House races in the state for an eighth consecutive cycle.
Since 2008, Democrats have now won 40 consecutive U.S. House elections, not only adding to their party record but also setting a new record in the Nutmeg State for the longest partisan winning streak for the office since the founding of the modern two-party system in 1828.
Democrats eclipsed the 38-election streak recorded by Connecticut Republicans more than a century ago from 1894 to 1908.
During that 14-year period, the GOP won all 36 general elections plus special elections in 1902 and 1905.
[It should be noted that prior to the modern two-party era, Federalists won more than seven-dozen consecutive U.S. House elections in Connecticut between 1794 and 1816].
While official figures will not be available for a few weeks, the Democratic victories this cycle were much narrower than during the previous seven cycle sweeps.
Across the five districts, Democrats won by an average of 15.3 points this November – compared to a 24.7-point average margin of victory during the 35 contests held from 2008 to 2020.
Democrats won the state’s five congressional districts by an average of 32.1 points in 2008, 18.2 points in 2010, 30.6 points in 2012, 20.4 points in 2014, 26.8 points in 2016, 23.8 points in 2018, and 21.3 points in 2020.
Congresswoman Hayes’ narrow 0.8-point victory against former State Senator George Logan was just the seventh U.S. House election decided by single digits in Connecticut during this 40-election winning streak by the Democrats and the first competitive race for the office since 2014.
At 40 straight victories, Connecticut Democrats own the second largest active Democratic U.S. House winning streak in the country, behind the 137 straight wins recorded by the party in Massachusetts.
Rhode Island (30), Hawaii (15), and Vermont (nine) round out the Top 5.
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Yea…. This only results in us being no longer relevant at a national level. So when Obama took back a billion from Dempsey and gave to Ohio its because we are no longer politically balanced.
So it’s more sad then anything else. Tens of thousands of productive families have left as they can’t afford to retire in Connecticut.
Amazes me how the media goes after Connecticut Republicans who are at best in survival mode. There was not a day that went by in this election cycle where Republican candidates were pressed on Trump, social issues, and other topics that only support the entrenched one party Connecticut.
So what an accomplishment. No federal candidates will visit Connecticut, which used to be normal for the battleground CT through 2000s.
What is DEMPSEY ?
OH no longer seems to be politically “balanced” (it voted for Drumpf twice, and by a greater margin & larger share than the nation as a whole; it even voted for that carpetbagger from CA earlier this month as US senator); no more wooing by the major parties – in whatever form – from now on, in all likelihood.
Can you do an article on pollical naysayers?
If my calculations are correct, this is the 1st time since 1986 that KS and NM elected gov. candidates from the incumbent presidents party. ME, MI and WI did so for the 1st time since 1990.
Mike Dunleavy is leading and should he win, he’d be the 1st AK gov. to be reelected since 1998.
Here’s a summary article i wrote on gubernatorial naysayers last year (I should update the data through 2022):
https://smartpolitics.lib.umn.edu/2021/07/27/five-naysayer-states-to-watch-in-2022s-gubernatorial-elections/
Maybe the Republicans should actually oppose Dem policies, rather than playing by Democrat rules and euphemisms.