Connecticut GOP names challengers for Fairfield County congressional seats

Connecticut”™s Republican Party has put forth its nominees to challenge the two Democratic incumbents occupying Fairfield County”™s congressional seats.

Jonathan Riddle is making his first run for elected office as a challenger to six-term U.S. Rep. Jim Himes for the 4th Congressional District. Riddle is a Norwalk resident who is a director for Altium, a financial consulting and wealth management firm in Purchase. Earlier in his career, he was vice president and lead advisor for the Private Bank of Bank of America in Westport. The party selected Riddle over two potential candidates that expressed interest in the race, T.J. Elgin and Michael Goldstein.

Daniel X. Sullivan, another newcomer to the political campaign trail, was selected to challenge one-term U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes for the 5th Congressional District.

Sullivan was a federal prosecutor for the past 30 years in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut. Sullivan was selected over two other candidates, Ryan Meehan and Ruben Rodriguez.

Robert F. Hyde, a Simsbury landscaper who gained national notoriety as a figure in the Trump-Ukraine scandal and through his coarse social media comments regarding U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris of California, had sought the nomination in a highly publicized campaign but withdrew two weeks ago after citing Sullivan had surpassed him in fundraising.

All five of Connecticut”™s congressional districts have Democrats as the incumbents. The last Republican to date to represent the state in the House of Representatives was Rep. Chris Shays, who was defeated by Himes in the 2008 election.