14-term Rep. John Larson ousted by challenger in Connecticut Democratic primary
Democratic Rep. John Larson — who has represented central Connecticut since the late 1990s — lost his party's primary Tuesday to former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, CBS News has projected.
Democratic Representative John Larson, a 14-term veteran representing central Connecticut, has been defeated in his party's primary election by former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, according to CBS News projections. Larson, 78, had sought a fifteenth term in Congress, while his opponent Bronin is 31 years younger. The election, which took place on Tuesday, saw Larson trailing Bronin by nearly 7,000 votes, with Bronin leading by a margin of over 20 percentage points.
Larson's campaign emphasized his long tenure in Congress, arguing that his experience would grant him more influence, while Bronin highlighted his new energy, fresh ideas, and younger perspective. Bronin's campaign website boldly stated, "The stakes are too high to keep doing the same thing." The Connecticut Democratic Party had endorsed Bronin over Larson at their convention in May, sparking Bronin's call for Larson to "pass the torch."
Biden-era Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg also endorsed Bronin, further boosting his bid for the Democratic nomination. Larson received support from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat. With the results of the primary election, Bronin will now face off against Republican nominee Amy Chai, who did not face any opposition in her party's nomination.
Written by urgent.news from CBS News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
