Democratic U.S. Rep. John Larson officially announced Friday his long-expected plan to seek reelection to the 1st District, which he has represented since 1999.
Larson made the announcement on Twitter Friday morning.
“As we face a global pandemic that has increased our worries about the health and well-being of the elderly and our children, I am even more energized and focused on continuing to deliver results for working families in Connecticut and across this nation,” he wrote.
According to Federal Election Commission filings, Larson has raised about $640,000 for his reelection bid. Two Democratic candidates have also raised money to run against Larson this year. Muad Hrezi, a former staffer of U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy’s office, has raised almost $132,000. Another candidate, Andrew Legnani, raised around $3,300 before dropping out of the race. A primary election will be held on Aug. 9.
Larson has the backing of the state’s top Democratic elected officials. His Friday announcement was accompanied by a press release with statements of support from Gov. Ned Lamont and the rest of the state’s congressional delegation. Murphy and U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal have also endorsed him.
Meanwhile, Republican candidate Larry Lazor, a West Hartford doctor, has raised around $117,000.
The 1st District, which includes Hartford, leans strongly Democratic. Larson won his last reelection bid in 2020 with more than 63% of the vote. His closest competitor, Republican Mary Fay, captured around 35% of the vote.
