Republican candidate George Logan avoided mentioning former President Donald Trump’s name during a contentious debate in Connecticut’s 5th Congressional District on Wednesday night.
His opponent, Democratic U.S. Representative Jahana Hayes, brought up Trump multiple times, while Logan sidestepped questions about him.
Logan, a former state senator, has positioned himself as a moderate in his 2024 rematch against Hayes, whom he narrowly lost to in 2022 by just 2,000 votes.
It was the sixth tightest contest across the country, barely avoiding a recount.
“I’ve said over and over again, I’m going to work with whomever is going to win the White House after Nov. 5th, and I stand by that,” Logan told reporters following the debate, which aired on statewide television.
He dismissed the focus on Trump as “gotcha” politics and declined to specify whether he supports the former president in the 2024 election.
Logan stated that his primary focus was on local issues impacting residents in the district, which is known for its political diversity and stretches across northwestern Connecticut.
“They’re playing games, I think. They want to do this whole gotcha political thing, and I’m just not giving it to them. I made it clear who I’m voting for,” Logan said.
Hayes, who has represented the district since 2019, criticized Logan for not being transparent about his position on Trump and other key issues.
“I think the non-answer says more than the answer,” she said during the debate.
Hayes alleged that Logan changes his message based on the audience, claiming that he tells supporters in Republican-leaning areas that he backs Trump, but avoids discussing it in more moderate or Democratic-leaning parts of the district.
“When he’s in a room with MAGA supporters, he tells them to turn off your phones. This is who I’m going to vote for. I support Donald Trump. When he’s in a more moderate part of the district or a Democratic part of the district, he refuses to say it,” Hayes told reporters.
The debate highlighted the challenges Logan faces as he attempts to navigate a district that leans blue but has consistently tight races.
If successful, Logan would become the first Republican to win a congressional seat in Connecticut since Chris Shays lost his 4th District seat in 2008.
The race has garnered attention as one of the most competitive House contests in the state, with both national parties pouring resources into the district.
“This is one district that could make a difference in which party controls the Congress,” Professor Gary L. Rose, Political Science expert at Sacred Heart University, told NBC Connecticut earlier this year.
In 2022, Logan frequently linked Hayes with President Joe Biden and then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, accusing her of being out of touch with voters struggling with inflation.
On Wednesday, Logan repeated similar criticisms, blaming Hayes for not doing enough to help people facing rising costs of living, including groceries, gas, and rent.
He accused Hayes of voting in lockstep with national Democrats and said he would prioritize legislation that benefits the district, regardless of which party proposed it.
“My opponent cannot fathom an independent voice in Washington,” Logan said.
The debate also briefly veered elsewhere when a pro-Palestinian protester stormed the stage, shouting “Free Palestine” before being escorted off by security.
This year’s contest has attracted millions of dollars in outside spending, with national Republicans seeing it as an opportunity to break the Democratic stronghold on Connecticut’s congressional delegation.
Models from The Hill suggest the incumbent has an 89 percent chance of winning.
Hayes focused her legislative record, including efforts to support farmers, increase the minimum wage, and lower prescription drug prices.
She argued that the U.S. has rebounded from the pandemic better than other nations, citing the country’s low unemployment rate.
Logan’s stance on abortion, a recurring issue from the 2022 race, was also called into question, despite his claims that he supports abortion rights.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
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