House Republican Conference Chair Representative Elise Stefanik Endorses Republican George Logan in Bid to Flip Connecticut’s 5th Congressional District

Susan Berry, PhD

U.S. House Republican Conference Chair Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) endorsed Connecticut Republican congressional nominee George Logan in his bid to unseat Representative Jahana Hayes (D-CT-05) in the state’s 5th Congressional District.

“George has a strong record as a champion for veterans, law enforcement, students, and small business, and he has what it takes to FLIP Connecticut’s 5th District red this November!” Stefanik tweeted.

In a further statement to Just the News, Stefanik cited her reasons for endorsing Logan:

As a community leader and former State Senator, George has always been a strong supporter of our veterans, law enforcement, students, and small businesses. I look forward to working with George in Congress to help deliver much needed change for Connecticut and our country.

In May, Connecticut Democrats were forced to delete a tweet, portraying Logan as “Curious George” the monkey from the children’s book series, in order to make a claim the Republican candidate did not live in the 5th Congressional District.

Democrats denied the tweet was “racist” and claimed their use of the Curious George comparison was “misrepresented.”

Logan’s campaign denied a residency issue, stating the nominee and his wife moved from Ansonia to his uncle’s home in Meriden, which is part of the 5th district, while his relative is in Florida.

Logan “lives in and is registered to vote in Meriden,” said Paul Amarone, his campaign spokesman.

Republicans and many Democrats condemned the tweet by the state Democrat Party that compared Logan, a two-term former state senator, to the famous mischievous monkey as “racist” and “absolutely unacceptable.”

U.S. Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT-04) urged his party to delete the “deeply problematic” tweet:

Similarly, State Senator Gary Winfield (D-New Haven) said “the historical context makes this nothing less than vile. Period.”

The Democrats’ tweet became even more problematic when Hayes herself retweeted it, with the text, “Raise your hand if you live in the 5th,” and Democrats defended it, denying there was any connection between Logan and the cartoon monkey.

“For a party that claims to be open and inclusive, this sort of tweet, which was also retweeted by my opponent Jahana Hayes, certainly comes off as racially motivated,” Logan commented. “However, this isn’t the first time Democrats and Jahana Hayes have made racially charged comments or statements in regards to my candidacy.”

As The Connecticut Star reported in March, Hayes intimated to her supporters on a Zoom call that Logan was only in the campaign because of his race.

“There’s this idea that the only reason I got elected is because white liberals felt super sorry and guilty and voted for me, so, just give them any other African American and they’ll vote for this person all the same,” Hayes said to supporters on the call.

Hayes ultimately deleted her retweet of the Curious George comparison and apologized, stating:

I find it hard to believe anyone, acting in good faith, could interpret my re-tweet as stoking racial animus against another African American. That does not benefit me, my campaign or this district in any way. I do not participate in that kind of behavior and never have.

“I do however, understand perception and my opponent being offended is good enough for me,” she said. “I apologize and will delete the tweet.”

“I’m pretty sure if a Republican posted that about Jahana Hayes, we would be called racially insensitive,” Connecticut Republican Chairman Ben Proto noted.

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Susan Berry, PhD is national education editor at The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].

 

 

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