Former investment banker Jim Himes (D), who is seeking to oust Rep. Christopher Shays (R), was joined by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) for a campaign event in Westport earlier this week.

“This community deserves a fresh face and a fresh voice representing them in Congress,” Wasserman Schultz said in a statement. “We have an opportunity to elect the next generation of leaders and turn this district from red to blue in November.”

Wasserman Schultz is chairwoman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s Red-to-Blue program for the second straight cycle. The program was set up to aide Democratic challengers and candidates for GOP-held open seats.

In addition to the public appearance, Wasserman Schultz also helped raise funds for Himes’ campaign, according to the candidate’s spokeswoman. Himes had $800,200 in cash on hand on Dec. 31 — barely more than the $797,400 in Shays’ campaign account.

Shays has held onto his seat for 10 terms, despite targeted attempts by Democrats in recent cycles to win the district that voted for Democrats in both the 2000 and 2004 presidential contests.
— Shira Toeplitz