Rep. Jahana Hayes (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Rep. Jahana Hayes (D.) prevailed over former state senator George Logan (R.) in Connecticut's only contentious congressional district, a key win for Democrats in one of their most vulnerable House seats.
Hayes led Logan by 6 points with 88 percent of the vote reported when the Associated Press called the race just after 2 a.m. Wednesday.
Hayes, who rose to prominence as National Teacher of the Year during the Obama administration, was first elected to Congress in November 2018. Since then, she has been entangled in contentious races, edging Logan in 2022 by roughly 2,000 votes. This year, Connecticut's Fifth Congressional District was one of the most vulnerable for Democrats.
In March, Hayes reiterated her support for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which she praised in a 2019 letter. In the letter, she recognized the anti-Semitic group's work "to educate the community about anti-Muslim hate."
CAIR has links to Hamas, and its leadership has described Jewish groups and synagogues as "enemies" that are "working to harm you." Executive director Nihad Awad said he was "happy to see" Hamas kill Jews during the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel. The group also blamed the assault on the Jewish state, urging lawmakers in October 2023 to address the "Israeli government's apartheid policies" and other "root causes of Mideast violence."
Hayes was one of several dozen congressional Democrats who wrote letters in support of CAIR in 2019. The group used the messages to tout support among congressional leaders at its Washington, D.C., gala.
CAIR "has led the way in broadening the public understanding of Islam and strengthening relationships with the American Muslim community," Hayes wrote. "For the past quarter of a century, CAIR's tireless defense of civil liberties has helped ensure that all Americans enjoy equal protection under the law regardless of their faith."
Hayes also met with CAIR in early December 2023, days before Awad's comments regarding Oct. 7 surfaced. Hayes also defended the meeting, with then-spokeswoman Sidney Johnson telling Jewish Insider that the congresswoman "has held several meetings with all constituents who have deep concerns about the ongoing war."
"She has a responsibility to listen to all of her constituents, even if they disagree on serious issues," Johnson said.
Hayes told the Washington Free Beacon in October 2023 that she condemned the "violent terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel" but did not answer questions on her support for CAIR.
