The Waterbury Times|Election Special- Nov 4, 2026

Jahana Hayes wins reelection, Waterbury’s state representatives retain their seats, and Republican Bill Pizzuto stands as the lone exception in a Democratic-dominated night.

WATERBURY — Election Night 2026 delivered a strong showing for Democrats across Connecticut, and Waterbury was no exception. Every incumbent state representative serving the city retained their seat, while Democratic Congresswoman Jahana Hayes secured another term representing Connecticut’s 5th Congressional District.

The results leave Waterbury’s legislative delegation largely unchanged, with Democrats maintaining their stronghold across the city’s state representation.

Hayes defeated Republican challenger Chris Shea, a former Navy SEAL, earning a fifth term in Congress. Shea conceded Tuesday night, and the Associated Press called the race for Hayes. Hayes celebrated with supporters in Waterbury, thanking those who helped carry her campaign across the district.

At the state level, Democratic incumbents Larry Butler (72nd District), Ron Napoli (73rd District), Michael DiGiovancarlo (74th District), and Geraldo Reyes (75th District) all retained their seats.

The exception to the Democratic sweep was Republican Bill Pizzuto of the 71st District, which includes portions of Waterbury and all of Middlebury.

Pizzuto appears to have survived one of the closest legislative contests in Connecticut. According to election-night reporting by CT Insider, Pizzuto held a lead of just four votes over Democratic challenger Stephen R. Ferrucci III. That margin is expected to trigger a recount, leaving the final outcome subject to further review.

For Republicans, Pizzuto’s narrow lead represents an important hold in a region where Democrats otherwise maintained their legislative advantage.

The broader election results reflected a successful night for Connecticut Democrats, with Hayes returning to Washington and the city’s Democratic state representatives preparing to return to Hartford.

For Waterbury residents, the immediate takeaway is continuity. The representatives voters sent to Hartford will return to their respective seats, carrying forward the responsibility of addressing the issues affecting their districts and the city.

The campaign signs will eventually come down, but the work of representing the people begins again.

The Waterbury Times — Real, Authentic Waterbury.

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