Larson Becomes 7Th House Democrat to Lose Primary This Year, Setting Record for 2026

Larson is the seventh House Democrat ousted in a primary this year, making 2026 a record year for Democratic primary losses. Only one other election cycle in the 21st century has seen this many incumbent losses in primaries. Bronin's challenge to Larson came after the 78-year-old incumbent suffered a widely publicized freeze-up during a House floor speech that he later said was the result of a complex partial seizure.

Bronin earned the support of the state Democratic Party, while Larson had the backing of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and the rest of Connecticut's congressional delegation. Bronin, 47, proved to be a prodigious fundraiser, bringing in $3.1 million as of July 22 to Larson's $2.7 million over the same period, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Bronin also had the most support from an outside backer: VoteVets, a group that works to elect Democratic military veterans, said in FEC filings it spent over $1 on ads boosting the retired Navy intelligence officer.