Connecticut and the pitiful death knell of the GOP moderate

Updated at 9:39 a.m.

Moderate GOP Senate candidates have been taking a beating the last two election cycles.

And nowhere is that more the case than in Connecticut.

The 2010 and 2012 elections both featured open Senate seats in the Nutmeg State. In both elections, respected and moderate former GOP congressmen — the kind of candidates Republicans arguably need in a blue-leaning state — stepped forward.

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Primary day: Five things you need to know in Connecticut, Florida, Minnesota and Wisconsin

Voters head to the polls in four states today, with Connecticut, Florida, Minnesota and Wisconsin holding congressional primaries.

Connecticut House Speaker and Democratic congressional candidate Chris Donovan is favored to win his primary today despite the arrests of two top aides. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)As usual, The Fix has zeroed in on five things to watch as the results roll in tonight:

1. The most expensive congressional primary in the country

That would be Connecticut’s 5th district, where seven candidates have raised at least $600,000 and five have raised more than $1 million. A total of nearly $10 million has already been raised just to decide each party’s nominee.

The most interesting subplot is on the Democratic side, where state House Speaker Chris Donovan remains the favorite despite the fact that his campaign manager and top fundraiser have both been arrested and charged with corruption. Organized labor and progressive groups remain firmly behind Donovan, who has not been implicated in the wrongdoing and has won the state party’s endorsement as well.

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