Longtime Connecticut Rep. John Larson lost his reelection bid Tuesday in yet another tough Democratic primary fueled by voters’ desire for generational change.
The Associated Press called the race Tuesday night for former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, who received the state’s Democratic endorsement in an upset win at a convention in May. Throughout his campaign, Bronin asserted that the endorsement was part of a “political earthquake” and signaled the Democratic Party’s needed shakeup.
Leading up to the primary, the 78-year-old Larson faced questions about his age and health after suffering a complex partial seizure during a speech on the House floor in February 2025. Larson previously said the medical episode was a side effect from a heart valve replacement he had more than 15 years ago.
Younger, and often more progressive, candidates have claimed a series of victories during the 2026 election cycle.
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Larson, who is in his 14th term in Congress, defended his reelection campaign by emphasizing his experience, commitment to adjusting Social Security benefits and his willingness to stand up to President Donald Trump. Larson said in a July 29 debate that his seat “will be open soon enough, but we’re in the middle of a crisis.”
Larson said he was poised to become the chair of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security if Democrats regained control of the chamber after November.
“If you’re coming to Congress for the first time, you start at the bottom and work your way up,” Larson said in an interview with a local outlet. “But if you have the opportunity to send someone who’s going to be a chairman, that means your voice in your district is amplified.”
Bronin will face Republican Amy Chai in November.
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