Connecticut, 4th District Primary

Six weeks before Connecticut's 4th Congressional District primary on Aug. 11, Democratic incumbent Jim Himes runs unopposed in his party while three Republicans compete for the right to face him in November. The seat covers the southwestern corner of the state, from Greenwich to Bridgeport, and every major forecaster rates it Solid Democratic. Prediction markets put the Democratic nominee's chances of winning the general election at 97%.

The district spans Fairfield County's Long Island Sound communities, including Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk, and Bridgeport, making it one of the wealthiest congressional districts in the country. Despite its historically moderate, suburban character, it has been reliably Democratic territory for nearly two decades.

Connecticut uses a traditional partisan primary system: Democratic and Republican voters cast separate ballots, and the top vote-getter in each party advances to the general election. Both primaries fall on the same date, Aug. 11. The general election follows on Nov. 3, with Democrats, Republicans, and independents all on the ballot. Eight candidates are currently active for that November contest.

The Candidates

Democrat

Jim Himes has represented the 4th District since 2009, when he unseated Republican incumbent Christopher Shays. Now in his ninth term, he serves as Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, a post he has held since 2023, and sits on the House Financial Services Committee, where he helped craft the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

Before entering politics, Himes spent 12 years at Goldman Sachs, rising to vice president, then led the New York City branch of Enterprise Community Partners, a nonprofit focused on urban poverty. His recent legislative work includes sponsoring the Lori Jackson-Nicolette Elias Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act and the Property Improvement and Manufactured Housing Loan Modernization Act of 2026. He faces no Democratic primary opposition.

Republicans

Three candidates compete for the Republican nomination. Michael Goldstein is the party-endorsed choice and the district's 2024 GOP standard-bearer. A Greenwich ophthalmologist and attorney, Goldstein holds both an M.D. and a J.D. from Pace University's Elizabeth Haub School of Law. He won the 2024 Republican primary before losing to Himes in the general election, and he enters this cycle as the establishment favorite, having already secured the party's endorsement at the convention. Goldstein has been active in healthcare policy advocacy, including service as past president and chairman of the board of trustees of the New York County Medical Society.

Daniel Miressi, a lifelong Fairfield County resident from Norwalk, is challenging Goldstein from outside the party establishment. A former professional athlete and youth hockey coach, Miressi ran as the 2022 Republican state Senate nominee for the Norwalk and Darien district and entered the 2024 CT-04 Republican primary before withdrawing. He is running under the slogan "Not Left, Not Right, Just Forward."

Luz Bueno is also registered as a Republican candidate in the race. Additional biographical information was not available at the time of publication.

The Money Behind the Race

Outside spending in this race has been minimal. Through July 1, Sierra Club Independent Action reported $10 in independent expenditures supporting Himes, the only outside spending on record in the contest. No communication costs have been reported. No outside money has been spent opposing any candidate.

Total raised across all candidates in the race stands at $1,448,514, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) records as of Aug. 5.

Ratings vs. Odds

Cook Political Report, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and Inside Elections all rate the seat Solid Democratic. Cook issued that rating July 16; Sabato's Crystal Ball confirmed it July 30; Inside Elections had it in place as of June 30. The consensus rating, aggregated as of July 30, matches: Solid Democratic.

Kalshi puts the Democratic nominee's probability of winning the general election at 97%, with the Republican at 4%, as of Aug. 3. The market had recorded $1,119 in trading volume at that date.

---

Spot something wrong? Report an issue with this article