Freshman members who are elected to a first term with less than 50 percent of the vote are often automatic takeover targets the next cycle. But Republicans are having difficulty finding a top-tier challenger to Rep. Elizabeth Esty in Connecticut's 5th District. Esty was first elected last fall, 51 percent to 49 percent, over state Sen. Andrew Roraback. A moderate Republican, Roraback would have been a formidable challenger in 2014, but Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, a Democrat, appointed him as a judge after the election. That boosted Democratic hopes of retaining the seat. (more…)
