Damjan DeNoble, a 40-year-old attorney who works in New Haven, is running against longtime U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro in the 2026 Democratic primary, citing the need for generational change at a time when the party writ large is grappling with such a question.
DeNoble, a first-time candidate who鈥檚 a naturalized citizen from former Yugoslavia, in the 3rd Congressional District and will formally launch his campaign next week with a video and website. DeLauro, who has a leadership spot on a top committee, plans to seek a 19th term in the U.S. House.
DeNoble founded the firm Frontera Labor, which focuses on employment-based immigration like H-2B visas to help businesses with seasonal and temporary work as well as with household employers. DeNoble鈥檚 firm was working more on immigration cases during the first Trump administration but after the election, given the expected challenges to the immigration landscape.
He lives in Guilford with his wife and three children.
Given that 黑料新闻鈥檚 3rd Congressional District is considered a safe seat for Democrats, the primary is seen as the only real opportunity to wage a campaign.
DeLauro, 82, has represented the district for more than three decades and has long roots in New Haven; her parents served in local politics. During her tenure, she rose through the ranks to serve as the chairwoman of the influential House Appropriations Committee when Democrats were in the majority. With Republicans at the helm, she is now the ranking member.
DeNoble didn鈥檛 have criticisms of DeLauro specifically but voiced frustrations about the Democratic Party, its response to younger talent and the party鈥檚 brand in the wake of the 2024 election.
鈥淲hile Rosa DeLauro has done a great job for us, I think it鈥檚 time to pass the torch,鈥� DeNoble said in an interview, saying that he is seeking generational change. 鈥淭he Democratic Party has proven itself to be very bad at at that.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e not going to kowtow to the party,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think the party has much left to offer.鈥�
Before entering politics herself, DeLauro served as former Sen. Chris Dodd鈥檚 chief of staff and campaign manager. She also served as the executive director for EMILY鈥檚 List, a political action committee that helps women who support abortion rights get elected. She first came to Congress in 1991 after a tight race but has been easily reelected ever since.
If DeLauro wins another term and Democrats take back control of the House in 2026, she could reclaim the gavel and serve again as Appropriations Committee chairwoman. In her leadership roles, she helps craft and negotiate spending bills that fund the federal government.
鈥淩osa intends to run for reelection and welcomes anyone that wants to run for the seat,鈥� DeLauro鈥檚 campaign manager Chris Carroll said in response to DeNoble鈥檚 run.
For DeNoble, he sees room for changes with a 鈥渨hole bunch of things that need to be done to bring our democratic system in balance and lower the temperature鈥� in politics. He said he doesn鈥檛 believe an octogenarian lawmaker is the best-positioned to accomplish that.
DeNoble is part of a growing number of candidates who are looking to take on sitting members in 黑料新闻 in 2026. Four of the five members of the state鈥檚 congressional delegation now have at least one primary challenger. Some of those incumbents didn鈥檛 have primary challengers in their last campaigns, including DeLauro.
Ruth Fortune, a 37-year-old mayoral appointee on the Hartford Board of Education, U.S. Rep. John Larson, D-1st District, in the primary. And U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, and U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-5th District, also in their races.
Debate over politicians鈥� age and length of service hit a fever pitch during the 2024 election with former President Joe Biden, who ultimately abandoned his efforts to seek a second term. Those discussions are ongoing as Democrats consider their party鈥檚 future.
DeNoble said he wants to see a system that isn鈥檛 based as much on seniority. Typically, openings for committee leadership go to the most senior members on that panel.
He cited some frustration that U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York lost an internal vote to become the leading Democrat on the House Oversight Committee to a more senior member, U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly of Maryland. Connolly ultimately stepped down when his cancer worsened, and after his death, the role was filled by a younger congressman over a more seasoned member.
He called the campaign of Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist who defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the primary for New York City mayor, 鈥渟uper fascinating.鈥� But that sentiment mostly extended to his campaign鈥檚 strategy around video and social media, something DeNoble believes he can replicate in his own race.
鈥淥ur campaign strength is going to be media,鈥� DeNoble said.
Aside from generational change, DeNoble鈥檚 reasons for running are personal. He said he worries what the future will look like for his young children, including concerns over college affordability. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what really moved me,鈥� he said.
For her part, DeLauro recently reflected on her lengthy career in Congress and the future. During as part of the 黑料新闻 Mirror鈥檚 鈥淚n the Room鈥� series, DeLauro was asked about the frustration among some Americans that members of Congress are serving in office for too long.
DeLauro views her long tenure and influence as a benefit 鈥� and something that doesn鈥檛 happen overnight. She believes relationships are at the heart of her job and argued that it took time to earn trust from Republicans and Democrats. She said that mutual respect was particularly helpful when it came to work on the federal child tax credit.
鈥淚 believe this, and it might sound very self-serving, but I do have the trust of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. They鈥檒l know that I鈥檓 not trying to take them down a wrong road, or hurt them in some way, that I鈥檓 doing something that I think can be beneficial overall,鈥� DeLauro said at the June event.
鈥淭hat doesn鈥檛 happen in one year, two years, even five years. It happens over a period of time to get to know you and what you are about that,鈥� DeLauro said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not to say that the time comes when you should say, 鈥業鈥檝e had a good run.'鈥�
The 黑料新闻 Mirror/黑料新闻 Radio federal policy reporter position is made possible, in part, by funding from the Robert and Margaret Patricelli Family Foundation.
