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(WTNH) – Tuesday’s primaries, in Connecticut, saw a lower than expected turnout, even in the state’s 4th Congressional District where Democrats chose who will challenge long time Republican Congressman Chris Shays in November. Democrat Jim Himes won the race by an overwhelming majority.

After 21-years in Congress, Republican Congressman Chris Shays is embarking on his 21st trip to Iraq.

Former Wall Street executive, turned community-activist, Jim Himes is still relishing his big victory in yesterday’s Democratic Primary. But, unlike the last two campaigns, when Shays was targeted for his support for the war, it’s the economy.

“We now have a $9.5 trillion dollar debt with all of the concern and anxiety that causes, to Chris Shays’ idea, that we should be privatizing Social Security,” Himes said. “He’s been more wrong on the economy than he’s been on the war.”

“Thrift savings accounts, what we have for all federal employees, having people invest in their country is a better way to get a return on your investment than Treasury Bills that are invested in the Social Security Fund,” Shays said.

“We are where we are today because of a series of disastrous policies starting with the so-called tax cuts of ‘01 and ‘02,” Himes said. “Where tax cuts were delivered to the very wealthiest people in this country.”

“When I look at our economy, I say thank goodness for the tax cuts. In dividends and capital gains, the marriage penalty exemption, the reduction of the individual tax rates…thank goodness we did that,” Shays said.

Despite the fact that Himes is a relative unknown, the race is being called a ‘toss-up.’

“Shays successfully fought off strong challenges from the Democrats the past two elections. But the district is changing. In Bridgeport, they’ve registered nearly 4,000 new voters since the first of the year and most of them are Democrats.

Since the last election, Shays is the only Republican member of Congress from New England.