Luke Bronin defeated longtime Rep. John Larson (D-CT) in Tuesday’s Democratic primary for Connecticut’s 1st Congressional District, ending the 78-year-old lawmaker’s nearly three-decade run in the seat.
The Associated Press (AP) called the race for Bronin at 10 p.m. EDT with about 75 percent of the vote in. Bronin won the race with 19,361 votes, or 53.6 percent. Incumbent Larson finished second with 12,462 votes, or 34.5 percent. Jillian Gilchrest received 6.8 percent, while Ruth Fortune took 5.1 percent.
Larson has represented the Hartford-area district since 1999 and was seeking a 15th term in Congress. Larson, a former member of House Democrat leadership, campaigned on his record on Social Security and had support from Connecticut’s congressional delegation, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), and major labor unions.
Questions about Larson’s age and health followed him into the race after he suffered a seizure while speaking on the House floor. Larson froze during a speech in 2025 in an episode he later blamed on an “adverse reaction” to medication.
Larson, then 76, was delivering a five-minute speech on Social Security when he suddenly stopped speaking and appeared unable to continue. The episode came as he criticized the Trump administration’s access to Treasury Department payment information as part of its effort to overhaul the federal government.
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