Politics

GOP Looks To Flip Connecticut Congressional Seat With Familiar Face

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Connecticut’s 5th congressional district has been devoutly Democrat for the last 11 years, but the seat is now vulnerable to turning red this November.

Democratic incumbent Elizabeth Esty announced she will not seek re-election for a fourth term, opening the field to several candidates from both parties.

For the Democrats, one possible candidate is Dan Roberti of Kent, who ran against Esty for the party’s nomination in the 5th district in 2012, according to The Courant.

On the GOP side, Rep. William Petit. Dr. Petit is the most most recognizable name being floated. Petit lost his wife and two daughters to a brutal home invasion back in 2007 and was the sole survivor of the attack. Petit’s wife was sexually assaulted by the home invaders and strangled to death, while his two girls died of smoke inhalation. The youngest child was also sexually assaulted.

The home invaders bound the girls to their beds, covered them in gasoline and lit the house on fire.

The perpetrators, Steven Hayes and Joshua Komisarjevsky, were sentenced to die, but were granted a reprieve by the State Supreme Court — which declared the death penalty unconstitutional. The decision was later upheld.

Petit considered running for the 5th Congressional seat in 2014 but decided against it. He made a run for the General Assembly in 2016 instead and defeated a Democrat who’d been in the state house for over 20 years, according to The Courant.

The Daily Caller News Foundation reached out to Petit’s office but was unable to reach him for comment.