With the retirement of Joe Lieberman (Yes, we can all cheer), Chris Murphy (D) CT-05 is leaving his seat to seek the Democratic senate nomination.
Murphy has held the seat for only 4 years, prior to which Nancy Johnson (R) was a 20+ year incumbent. The Cook Political Report lists the seat as "lean democratic," with a partisan voting index of D+2. It is clearly a vulnerable seat, and one which Democrats need to hold to make headway in the house.
I'm a friend and supporter of Elizabeth Esty, who is one of the Democratic candidates for this seat, but I want to use this diary to describe the district and give some information about how it has voted.
A caveat before I begin. I am a supporter of Elizabeth Esty, but not an official member of her campaign. The opinions expressed here my own.
Where is CT-05? What is it like? and why do Democrats need the right candidate there?
CT-05 is in the Northwest corner of Connecticut, anchored by typical New England cities with a fine industrial past and recent economic struggles. While the district will be affected by redistricting, any changes are not likely to greatly affect its character.
The district is 86% Urban, and 80% White, with a median income of $53,000, well below the state as a whole.
District Registrationas of 2008 was 33% Democratic, 23% Republican, and 44% Unaffiliated. The unaffiliated plurality means that voters here want candidates who do not wear their party labels front and center. Since Connecticut has closed primaries, it also makes the difference between the primary and general electorates even more extreme than elsewhere.
2010 Results were decidedly mixed. Chris Murphy did win reelection, with 54% of the vote, but Dan Malloy (D) got just 44% of the district's votes despite winning statewide with 49.5%, and Richard Blumenthal (D), who replaced Chris Dodd in the Senate by getting 55% of the vote Statewide could only eke out a 49.6% plurality in the 5th district.
Clearly this is a district where you have to appeal to independents who are not affraid to split their tickets. While the winner of the Democratic Primary will probably be favored to win the general election, the district could swing depending on who the nominees are, and how voters are feeling on other issues come fall of 2012.
I will follow this diary up later with more information about Elizabeth Esty and why I think she's the right one for the district.