U.S. House, Connecticut 5th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Connecticut's 5th Congressional District?
Jahana Hayes has the strongest record in Connecticut's 5th Congressional District. Jahana Hayes scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Chris Shea at 56, as of October 6, 2026. Jahana Hayes's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Chris Shea's highest marks are roots in the constituency. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Jahana Hayes
65 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 56
- Qualifications
- 80
- Performance
- 56
Republican
Chris Shea
56 / 100
Public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 60
- Performance
- NR
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Jahana Hayes
- Credit2022-05-21
Sponsored the Access to Baby Formula Act, giving USDA waiver authority for WIC during emergencies and supply disruptions; it was signed into law May 21, 2022.
- Credit2016-05-03
Was named 2016 National Teacher of the Year and received the award from President Obama at the White House while teaching social studies at John F. Kennedy High School in Waterbury.
Sources: AP via the Afro, May 3, 2016, New York Times via WRAL, Aug. 14, 2018
Chris Shea
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Jahana Hayes. Her 2025 annual financial disclosure was filed May 11, 2026, and campaign reports are on file with the FEC. No House Ethics Committee matter or FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10076853, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00677898, House Committee on Ethics site search for Hayes
Chris Shea. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through July 22, 2026, and a House candidate financial disclosure was filed July 16, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10076773, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00935692
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Jahana Hayes. Voted No on the 2023 Fiscal Responsibility Act when Democratic Leader Jeffries voted Aye, and Yea on final passage of the Laken Riley Act in 2025 when Jeffries and Whip Clark voted Nay.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 243, 2023, House Clerk Roll Call 23, 2025
Chris Shea. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Jahana Hayes. No public record found.
Chris Shea. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Jahana Hayes. Has served in the U.S. House since January 2019 after a teaching career; no censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee matter found.
Sources: GovTrack member page, House Committee on Ethics site search for Hayes
Chris Shea. Served more than 30 years in the Navy and is a lieutenant in the North Haven Fire Department; no formal conduct finding found.
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Jahana Hayes. Voted Nay on both January 2021 objections to certified electoral votes (Roll Calls 10 and 11). No official finding of misuse of office found.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, 2021
Chris Shea. Served in the Navy from 1991 until retiring in January 2024, commissioned as a warrant officer in 2012. No official finding of misuse found.
Sources: Fox 61 via Yahoo News, Aug. 7, 2026, Campaign site, Meet Chris
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Jahana Hayes. U.S. representative for the 5th District since 2019, completing a fourth term; earlier a Waterbury high school teacher named 2016 National Teacher of the Year.
Chris Shea. Retired Navy SEAL with more than 30 years of service, a firefighter since 2009, founder of a veterans' nonprofit and a former small business owner. Has not held elected office.
Sources: Fox 61 via Yahoo News, Aug. 7, 2026, Campaign site, Meet Chris
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Jahana Hayes. Ranking member of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture; also on Education and Workforce. Publishes issue pages on agriculture, education, health, housing and other topics.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Office site, home page menu
Chris Shea. Publishes issue positions on lowering costs, wages and security in general terms.
Source: Campaign site
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Jahana Hayes. Offers an e-mail newsletter, publishes issue pages and a town-by-town year in review, and holds monthly mobile office hours. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page menu, Office site, Casework On Your Corner, Ballotpedia, Jahana Hayes
Chris Shea. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026 and publishes issue positions.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Chris Shea, Campaign site
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Jahana Hayes. Born in Waterbury and taught there; her FEC statement of candidacy lists Waterbury. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 23 percent of itemized individual contributions from Connecticut.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Jahana Hayes, FEC Form 2, filed March 9, 2026, FEC contribution totals by state
Chris Shea. Grew up in Watertown and lives in Cheshire, both in the 5th District, per his campaign and FEC filing. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 59 percent of itemized individual contributions from Connecticut.
Sources: Campaign site, Meet Chris, FEC Form 2, filed Jan. 23, 2026, Wikipedia, Connecticut's 5th congressional district, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Jahana Hayes. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00677898
Chris Shea. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through July 22, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00935692
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Jahana Hayes. Center for Effective Lawmaking rates her Meets Expectations for the 118th Congress (LES 2.0 of 0.283, benchmark 0.530), with no bill enacted that Congress. Her Access to Baby Formula Act became law in May 2022.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, H.R. 7791 (117th Congress)
Chris Shea. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Jahana Hayes. Missed 62 of 3,869 roll call votes, 1.6 percent, from January 2019 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Chris Shea. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Jahana Hayes. Runs a Waterbury district office and monthly walk-in casework hours in Meriden, Simsbury, Danbury and New Britain; her office reports more than 6,000 cases closed and over 125 such events.
Sources: Office site, Casework On Your Corner, Office site, Offices
Chris Shea. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Jahana Hayes. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -1.52073 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 406 of 436, in the bottom quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores, 118th Congress
Chris Shea. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Jahana Hayes. No public record found.
Chris Shea. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 6, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in Connecticut's 5th Congressional District?
Jahana Hayes has the strongest record in Connecticut's 5th Congressional District. Jahana Hayes scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Chris Shea at 56, as of October 6, 2026. Jahana Hayes's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Chris Shea's highest marks are roots in the constituency. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Connecticut's 5th Congressional District in 2026?
Jahana Hayes (Democratic, incumbent), Chris Shea (Republican). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Jahana Hayes a good candidate for Congress?
Jahana Hayes scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 56 of 100, qualifications 80 of 100, performance 56 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Chris Shea a good candidate for Congress?
Chris Shea scores 56 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 60 of 100, performance no record. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Connecticut race scored, and the Connecticut 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.