With less than four months before the party’s convention in a critical election, the Democratic candidates for Congress in the Greater Hartford area are scrambling for campaign contributions and endorsements.
Former Hartford mayor Luke Bronin remains ahead in the fundraising race with more than $1.7 million after collecting contributions for five months. He raised nearly $545,000 in the most recent quarter, based on totals that were released publicly in recent days.
U.S. Rep. John B. Larson of East Hartford, who is battling three opponents in his toughest race in decades, raised less than Bronin in the recent quarter at more than $435,000 and was approaching $1 million in cash on hand at year’s end, compared to $1.5 million for Bronin. Cash on hand is an important category in campaigns because it indicates whether a candidate is burning through money at a fast rate and provides an indication of their resources looking ahead.
“When you’re running against someone who’s been in Congress for almost 30 years, it takes resources to make sure voters know that they have a choice and can be part of making a change,” said Bronin. “I’m not taking a dollar of corporate PAC money, and we’re building more support every day because there’s a tremendous hunger for new energy and new leaders in the Democratic Party, and people know that we’re running a campaign that can win.”
Larson’s campaign said he has been spending time in Washington, D.C., including voting against a package Tuesday that also would provide money for Immigration and Customs Enforcement without any reforms. Larson had been blocked last week from inspecting an ICE facility in Burlington, Massachusetts, where he said detainees have been held.
“At the end of the day, both campaigns will be well funded, but Congressman Larson’s record standing up to Donald Trump, his deep roots in the district and record delivering for working families gives him a clear advantage,” said Greg Gerratana, Larson’s campaign manager. “From hosting high-dollar fundraisers in Washington to cozying up with Beltway insiders and Clinton-era establishment figures, it’s no surprise that our opponent, a former corporate lawyer from Greenwich, has relationships with money.”
While Connecticut races with high-profile Republicans like Linda McMahon have often shown that the candidate with the most money does not always win, money is still among the key factors that show the strength of a candidate’s support.
State Rep. Jillian Gilchrest of West Hartford has raised $103,000 and has $23,000 on hand. Hartford attorney Ruth Fortune has raised $53,000 and has nearly $33,000 on hand.
While they have all been raising money, the candidates have been meeting voters and taking stances on various issues. Recently, they have ripped President Donald Trump’s ICE department after federal agents shot and killed two American citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, during protests in Minneapolis. The clashes with ICE have generated national news on a regular basis for weeks as the situation continues. The ongoing tensions included Larson getting involved in a videotaped shouting match with a protestor who defended ICE.
In another controversy, all four candidates have blasted Trump for military action in Venezuela that started with the bombings of small boats and escalated to the capture of its president, Nicolas Maduro.
Endorsements
In the ongoing battle for endorsements, Bronin recently captured the backing of three groups: VoteVets PAC; New Politics, which supports veterans; and The Bench, which backs young candidates who have private-sector experience among other attributes.
Larson has touted various waves of endorsements, including from labor and 26 for 2026, which includes mayors, first selectmen, town council members and others.
Gilchrest has been endorsed by more than 20 sitting legislators, along with former legislators Beth Bye, Christine Palm and Russ Morin, among others.
Behind in the high-stakes fundraising battle, Gilchrest is calling for public financing of federal campaigns in similar fashion to Connecticut’s system. The West Hartford Democrat says the public financing system is needed at the federal level to reduce the influence of big-money campaigns that are often dominated by Super PACs, lobbyists, and special interest funding.
Gilchrest’s proposal is modeled after the state system in Connecticut, which requires candidates to raise small-dollar contributions from individuals before receiving a public grant from the state to help pay for the campaign.
“At a moment when people are in the streets demanding change, everyday people are shaping the future of politics — not money,” Gilchrest said. “I’m running a different kind of campaign, with close to 100 people already signed up to volunteer, which means a lot more to me than dollars. Money plays a role in campaigns, but people matter more. And as I’ve said since day one, I’m not interested in talking about money unless it’s about getting it out of our politics.”
State Rep. Jillian Gilchrest of West Hartford is running in a four-way primary for Congress for the seat held for the past 27 years by U.S. Rep. John B. Larson of East Hartford.
Fortune, too, has fallen behind in the overall fundraising battle but has been focused on the issues.
“I hope this campaign inspires more people to challenge the status quo and join this fight for a vibrant democracy where working people earn a living wage, where we have universal health care and our public schools are fully funded, where immigration reform and enforcement are humane and offer a path to citizenship for hardworking immigrants,” Fortune said. “Most members of Congress are wealthy individuals who know how to monetize their connections and privilege. We don’t need more of them. The status quo works for them, therefore, they are not incentivized to challenge it at its core.”
Fortune wrote Tuesday about Black History Month as she recalled being an undocumented immigrant for 10 years and sharing cramped quarters with eight family members in the days before she became an attorney at a major Hartford law firm.
“Black History Month is a time to remind ourselves that the American Dream was never given to us,” Fortune said. “People have fought for it, protected it and, yes, extended it, because they refused to accept the limits placed on them. That fight has informed my life. When my family immigrated from Haiti, we came to this country believing in its promise, even when the odds were stacked against us.”
Christopher Keating can be reached at [email protected]