Tipsheet

Vulnerable Democratic Incumbent in Key House Race Has Support From Party Looking to Defund the Police

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  October 14, 2024 9:00 PM

One of the several House races to watch this cycle comes out of Connecticut's 5th Congressional District, where a rematch is taking place between vulnerable Democratic incumbent Rep. Jahana Hayes and her Republican opponent, George Logan. In addition to being the Democratic nominee, Hayes also has the endorsement from the Connecticut Working Families Party (CT WFP), which has taken credit for the congresswoman's past victories. As evidenced by their own candidate questionnaire, the WFP looks to be particularly anti-law enforcement and pro-crime, including pro-illegal immigrant crime.

There's an entire section on "Police Accountability," for questions 19-23 of the questionnaire. There's several questions indicating a position in favor of defunding the police, as well as supporting sanctuary states on immigration. 

Such questions include:

  • "Do you support shifting some resources away from policing and into the services, housing, education, jobs and infrastructure we need to thrive?"
  • "Will you support local policies to reduce unnecessary arrests and direct local law enforcement to stop arrests for lower level charges in your community?"
  • "Will you work to ensure that local law enforcement and government agencies -- including local police departments, school systems, and social service agencies in your district -- limit cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in enforcing federal immigration policy?"

The section of "Students and Education" also delves into the crime issue, asking "are there currently school resource officers in your school district? If so, would you support eliminating them?" Despite how SROs have saved lives when confronting school shooters, leftist politicians sure seem hellbent on opposing them, including Vice President Kamala Harris. 

The questionnaire is also chock full of other leftist tells, even when it comes to just identifying characteristics for candidates. For instance, candidates are asked which of the following races they "identify as," with one such option including "Hispanic or Latinx of any race." The "gender identity" question is curiously open ended. 

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There's also a question to do with candidates' "military experience or connection," with one option being "War Survivor or Refugee."

On education, the WFP doesn't merely ask about SROs. The WFP also claims to want to know what candidates will do "to help students who have fallen behind in school to get caught up," yet takes an anti-school choice stance by asking candidates if they will "call for an immediate moratorium on expanding the number of charter schools in your community?"

Hayes was endorsed by the CT WFP, an endorsement which she bragged about on September 30. With Connecticut's fusion voting, she'll appear on the ballot for both the Democratic Party and the WFP, a move she's gone with for past cycles. 

This includes for Hayes' 2022 win, where she beat Logan by 2,004 votes. Of her 127,838 votes, 4,020 votes came from the WFP line. On November 18, 2022, 10 days after that year's midterm elections, the WFP put out a press release bragging about how, "In CT-05, the Working Families Party Made the difference."

Hayes posted about her supposed support for the police over X last week, by bringing up her husband's work as a police officer.

This comes despite the WFP's clear support for defunding the police, something the national party has even posted about.