One of the last sane dems is jumping ship......
Source: Lieberman to collect signatures for independent campaign
AP ^ | July 3, 2006 | Susan Haigh
U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman, facing a stronger-than-expected Democratic primary challenge and sagging poll numbers because of his support of the Iraq war, will collect signatures for a possible independent run this November, a Democratic party source with knowledge of the decision said Monday.
Lieberman has scheduled a 1 p.m. news conference at the state Capitol. His wife, Hadassah, is expected to attend, campaign spokeswoman Marion Steinfels said.
"It is in regard to his decision about the general election," Steinfels said. "He told folks when he made his decision, he wanted to let people know. He's announcing where he's at, what he's come to."
Lieberman's campaign has long said they were focused only on winning on the Aug. 8 primary. An effort to gather signatures before the primary could annoy Democrats who already question his party loyalty.
Lieberman would have until Aug. 9 -- the day after the Democratic primary -- to collect 7,500 signatures from registered voters to land on the November ballot as an unaffiliated candidate.
As of Monday morning, Lieberman's office has not sought petitions to circulate for an unaffiliated campaign, said Dan Tapper, spokesman for Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz.
Once a Democratic stalwart and the party's 1988 vice presidential nominee, Lieberman has fallen into disfavor from some Connecticut Democrats for his support of the Iraq war and his perceived closeness to President Bush.
He's being challenged for a fourth Senate term by Greenwich businessman Ned Lamont, a multimillionaire owner of a cable television company with little political experience. Lamont has put more than $1.5 million of his own money into his campaign, calling Lieberman a Republican lapdog and accusing him of straying from his Democratic roots. |
