Now that Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-Conn., has announced she will not seek re-election, Republicans are eyeing the seat as a possible win.
Connecticut GOP party Chairman J.R. Romano told reporters, "we have a really unique opportunity to take this seat."
In a state which has not sent a Republican to Congress in a decade, the 5th District is considered the most winnable for the GOP. Its 41 towns gave Hillary Clinton a narrrow (50 to 46 percent) edge over Donald Trump in 2016, and the Republican candidate for governor swept the district in 2010 and 2014.
Esty apologized for not dismissing her former chief of staff after learning he had emailed a female stafer profanity-riddled threats to "kill you." After a time, she sent a letter of recommendation on the chief of staff's behavior to a gun control advocacy group, which promptly hired him. (The same group fired him Friday following revelations of the threatening emails.)
Dan Roberti, Esty's 2012 primary opponent, made clear over the weekend he would again seek the Democratic nomination. The son of high-powered politcal fixer Vin Roberti, former homeless shelter head Dan raised more than $1 million in his contest with Esty.
The name on the list of most Democratic lips to run for Esty's seat these days is that of Neil O'Leary, mayor of Waterbury. A popular "tough cop" who worked himself up to becoming police chief and then mayor of the district's largest city since 2011, O'Leary is considered a centrist, blue-collar Democrat in the mold of Conor Lamb, winner of the nationally-watched special election in Pennsylvania's 18th District. But whether the 60-something Leary wants to go to Congress is questionable, 5th District sources told us.
The lone Republican candidate against Esty has been Manny Santos, former mayor of Meriden and the son of Brazilian immigrants. Now that the 5th District is open, however, other Republicans may jump into the race. Among those reportedly exploring a bid for the GOP nod is 2016 U.S. Senate nominee Dan Carter, a former state legislator.
At a time when a post-World War II high of 38 House Republicans have announced retirement, resignation or pursuit of another office, the news that Elizabeth Esty is the 18th Democrat to join to the exodus from Congress can only be called good news for the GOP.
"I'd say the chances of a Republican congressman are much higher today than they were a week ago," former State GOP Chairman Dick Foley told Newsmax.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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