DCCC Targets 5th District Race Between Elizabeth Esty And Andrew Roraback

The 5th District Congressional race is already a high-pitched battle, and it is taking another step as the race heats up.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which is tasked with winning back the U.S. House of Representatives from the Republicans, has placed Elizabeth Esty in the “Red-to-Blue” program for highly competitive candidates. She is battling against Republican Andrew Roraback, a Litchfield County state senator who won his party’s primary on August 14. Roraback was already the target of Democrats in the race even before the general election began.

Esty’s campaign said she needed to reach certain ”fundraising, organizing, and infrastructure goals” to get into the program, which covers at least 50 races nationwide from New York and New Hampshire to California.

The DCCC chairman, U.S. Rep. Steve Israel of the upscale Long Island hamlet of Dix Hills, said, ”With her reputation as a tireless advocate for responsible budgets and protecting health care, Elizabeth will now build on the strong grassroots energy she’s already earned and convince Connecticut voters she is the right choice to get our economy back on track.”

“The early strength we have demonstrated by being named to the Red to Blue program is a sign of our campaign’s growing support and continuing momentum,” Esty said in a statement. “From now through Election Day, I’m going to keep working hard to earn the support of voters in every town and city in the 5th District.”

Once a candidate is picked for the program, the DCCC “offers them financial, communications, grassroots, and strategic support,” according to the campaign. In addition, Esty will now be on the list for Democratic fundraisers who want to contribute money to a competitive race.

The program is called Red to Blue, even though the seat is already blue because it is held by a Democrat, U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy of Cheshire.