Former Teacher of the Year wins Connecticut primary

Jahana Hayes, a former National Teacher of the Year, won the Democratic nomination on Tuesday to replace retiring Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D-Conn.), defeating a party-backed candidate.

The Associated Press called the race with 44 percent of precincts in Connecticut’s 5th District reporting. At the time Hayes was declared the winner, she had 59 percent of the vote compared to opponent Mary Glassman, who had been endorsed by the Connecticut Democratic Party. 

{mosads}If Hayes goes on to win in November, she will become the first African-American Democrat from Connecticut to serve in Congress and would become the latest female candidate in a year being called the “Year of the woman.”

Hayes will face former Meriden Mayor Manny Santos (R) in the fall after he emerged as the winner of the Republican primary on Tuesday.

Hayes, a first-time candidate and former high school social studies teacher, was honored in 2016 by former President Obama at the White House, where she received the National Teacher of the Year Award.

Esty announced in April that she would not run for reelection, after news reports detailed how it had reportedly taken her months to dismiss her former chief of staff, who was accused of sexually harassing and threatening to kill a former colleague. 

Her retirement cleared the way for a Democratic primary in Esty’s district. Glassman, who has worked in various roles at the state government level, immediately jumped into the race.

Meanwhile, Hayes — encouraged to run by Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) — entered the contest in May.

Hayes missed out on the state party’s endorsement at its May 14 convention. But she picked up the backing of Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), a Democratic heavyweight and rumored 2020 presidential contender, as well as the Congressional Black Caucus PAC and the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Connecticut’s 5th District went for Hillary Clinton by a 4-point margin in 2016. The last Republican to represent the district in the House was former Rep. Nancy Johnson, who was ousted by Murphy in 2006.