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Esty Will Face Speaker Donovan in August 14 Primary to Elect Democratic Nominee for CT-5
Congressional candidate and former State Representative Elizabeth Esty won an automatic spot on the Democratic primary ballot at the 5th District Democratic Convention Monday evening. With the support of 20% of the delegates, Esty exceeded the number of votes needed to get on the ballot and will go on to face Speaker Chris Donovan in the August 14th Democratic primary.

“Tonight, 5th District Democrats have chosen to have a primary election to determine the best candidate to keep the 5th District blue in November and get Washington focused on job creation,” Esty said. “Democrats in central and northwest Connecticut know that the eventual nominee must be able to go toe-to-toe with the Republicans and appeal to the independents who make up 44% of 5th District voters. I’m incredibly grateful to the delegates who supported me tonight and who have given me the opportunity to make my case to all Democratic voters across the district. I’m looking forward to a spirited primary campaign, and I'm going to continue to focus on my plan to create jobs by reinvigorating manufacturing, supporting vocational education and apprenticeship programs, and helping small businesses get streamlined access to capital.”

“There will be a primary election in August, and that’s a result our campaign is very comfortable with,” Esty campaign spokesman Jeb Fain said. “Elizabeth Esty is the only candidate in this race who has actually won elections in tough swing districts before. With the largest fundraising total of every 5th District candidate and a grassroots campaign that has brought in supporters from every corner of the district, Elizabeth has already shown that she can the raise the resources and build the organization needed to win.”

Elizabeth Esty first ran for office in 2005 when she helped flip the historically Republican Cheshire Town Council to Democratic control for the second time ever. After winning reelection at the local level, she ran for the Connecticut State House in 2008—unseating a long-time Republican incumbent in a historically Republican district. As of the last FEC reporting period, she leads every Democratic and Republican 5th District candidate in every fundraising category, having raised more than $1.2 million and holding more than $800,000 cash on hand.

The 5th District Democratic Convention was held at the Rotella Magnet School in Waterbury.
Elizabeth Esty is a Democrat running for the open seat in Connecticut's 5th Congressional District. Esty is a community leader, attorney, and mother who has earned a reputation as a tireless, progressive advocate for the middle class.