Jahana Hayes

Jahana Hayes

Rep. Hayes fiercely believes all people have value and all people deserve to have a voice in Washington.

Connecticut’s 5th Congressional District is a majority-suburban district spanning highly-educated towns from the New York commuter area to Hartford. Here, President Biden improved on Hillary Clinton’s margin of victory by over 6 points.

Elected in 2018, Jahana Hayes was born in the largest town in the district, Waterbury. Even after redistricting, she is facing an electorate in which 100% of voters are coming from the old CT-05. Voters are already familiar with everything that she’s delivered for Connecticut, and the district is D+3 and rated Lean Dem. A Republican hasn’t been elected to serve the district since 2006.

Rep. Hayes is fighting to make sure every voice from Connecticut’s 5th district is heard. Including everyone in the conversation, Hayes believes a brighter future is possible. She fiercely believes all people have value and all people deserve to have a voice in Washington. She is living proof that good government works.

Her opponent, George Logan, is a former state senator and corporate lobbyist who voted against a ban on bump stocks when it was before the Connecticut legislature. He sidesteps answering questions of his support or opposition to abortion rights, falling back on the current Republican ploy of trying to turn it into a late-term abortion question.

HER BACKGROUND

Jahana Hayes’ story is one of achievement despite the odds and overcoming the obstacles that so many people face. Growing up in the cycle of poverty and addiction, she found herself pregnant at 17. She had her daughter, went back to school, received multiple degrees, reached the pinnacle of teaching, and now sits in Congress. When elected in 2018, she became The first African-American Congresswoman from Connecticut, and this is her first public office. 

A high school teacher, Hayes first garnered widespread notoriety when she was named National Teacher of the Year in 2016 by President Barack Obama. In her capacity as National Teacher of the Year, Hayes traveled the country and the world engaging public education stakeholders in policy discussions meant to improve outcomes for students.

Hayes is a graduate of Naugatuck Valley Community College, Southern Connecticut State University, the University of Saint Joseph, and the University of Bridgeport, having earned a Bachelor’s of Arts in history and secondary education, a Master’s of Arts in curriculum and instruction, and a 6th-year degree in administrative leadership.

ON THE ISSUES

As both an educator and mother in Connecticut at the time of the Sandy Hook tragedy, Rep. Hayes understands the immediate need for sensible regulation. As the wife of a police officer, she knows that there are many law-abiding gun owners who are also put at risk by those who abuse their access to arms. Rep Hayes voted for the bipartisan Safer Communities Act and supports reforms like assault weapon and ghost gun bans, safe storage requirements, and universal background checks. Her first resolution in Congress was to prohibit the use of federal funds to arm teachers.

Rep. Hayes believes it is the right of every person to exercise autonomy over their body, and she has consistently fought against legislation attempting to limit access to abortion and other contraceptive care and voted to pass legislation that would codify the right to choose into law. She also supports proposals that expand access to contraception and sex education so every person’s reproductive choices remain between them and their doctor.

Rep. Hayes has pointed out that climate change is an environmental issue and a civil rights, economic, and public health issue. Stopping and reversing climate change, protecting public lands and waters, reducing air pollution, transitioning to green energy supplies, and investing in sustainable agriculture are her top priorities.  She voted for the Inflation Reduction Act – the single largest climate investment in the history of our nation, putting America on track to reduce U.S. carbon emissions by 40% by the year 2030. She has been a co-sponsor of the Green New Deal, which commits to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2030.

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