Former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin secured the Democratic endorsement at the May 2026 convention for Connecticut’s 1st Congressional District by defeating 14-term incumbent John Larson on a second ballot, 51.2% to 48.8%, an outcome that established Bronin as the party’s preferred nominee heading into the August 11 primary. Larson has since reframed the contest around outside funding networks and generational change, while state Rep. Jillian Gilchrest qualified for the ballot with limited delegate support. A late-May VoteVets poll showed Bronin ahead of Larson by eight points among likely primary voters. These developments, combined with the safe Democratic district’s history of limited primary challenges, underpin trader consensus favoring Bronin while leaving room for shifts before voting begins.