Chris Shea, a North Haven firefighter and retired Navy SEAL, became the third declared Republican candidate for Congress in the 5th District of western Connecticut on Thursday. Shea, 55, of Cheshire is seeking the nomination to oppose U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, a Democrat who was reelected to a fou rth term in 2024 with 53.4% of the vote in her rematch with Republican George Logan.  Logan, a former state senator, came close in 2022 with 49.6% of the vote. He is not running this year. Shea is the founder of Hero to Hero, a non-profit that encourages military veterans to consider second careers as first responders. “I’m ready for the next mission, serving you in Congress,” Shea said in a video announcement. The other declared Republicans are: Jonathan De Barros of Plymouth, who drew notice last fall for his insulting social media posts about state Republican leaders; and Michele Botelho of Danbury. ...read more read less