Lieberman Won’t Run
by Christine Stuart | Jan 18, 2011 7:42pm
(4) Comments | Commenting has expired
Posted to: Congress, Election 2012
Sources close to U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman’s family said the four-term U.S. Senator won’t seek re-election in 2012, ending months of speculation about the Independent Democrat’s plans.
“While he enjoys being a Senator, he wasn’t looking forward to another two-year campaign cycle,” one source said.
Lieberman will make a formal announcement Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. in his hometown of Stamford.
The announcement comes on the heels of former Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz’s announcement that she will run for the seat.
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Gov. Dannel Malloy were asked about the Lieberman’s retirement announcement at an unrelated press conference Tuesday evening.
Malloy quipped that it means Blumenthal will become a senior senator before the end of his first term.
“Senator Lieberman is the Senator from Connecticut for the next two years. We’ll be working with him and we’ll be working together with the rest of the delegation,” Blumenthal said.
Asked about Bysiewicz’s announcement, Blumenthal responded by saying, “You know I’m focused on doing my job. People are pretty tired of politics right now.”
Blumenthal said Lieberman had not contacted him to discuss his retirement and Malloy said his office may have received a call.
Lieberman, who ran as an Independent in 2006, began to fall out of favor with Connecticut Democrats over his support for the Iraq war. Adding fuel to the fire, the one-time vice presidential nominee supported Republican Sen. John McCain in the 2008 presidential contest, including speaking at the Republican National Convention. It was a move that caused Democrats in Connecticut to consider censuring him at the end of 2008. In the end, they opted to send Lieberman a strongly worded letter.
Meanwhile, Lieberman continued to caucus with Democrats in Washington even though he had become the swing vote on some contentious issues, including the national health care reform bill.
While some Republicans in Washington spoke about recruiting Lieberman, Republicans in Connecticut felt they could field a better candidate — possibly former wrestling executive Linda McMahon or Tom Foley, the businessman who ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2010.
Tags: Lieberman, Election 2012, U.S. Senate
(4) Comments
posted by: ... | January 18, 2011 9:40pm
Wasn’t really a shocker. I just hope someone beats Susan. 2010 became the year of gaffes and goof-ups for her, and either Courtney/Murphy could run laps around her on national issues.
If Linda (or Foley) runs in 2012, it will be a deadlock race that I’m not sure she could seriously win if only because she has provided enough material for a year and a half of attack ads.
But who knows, maybe I would vote for Foley if he provided a strong center right voice to counter McMahon’s money.
And not totally ruling out Shiff as a possible winner, but I think with Simmons out and Foley in, Foley will get more of Shiff & McMahon’s points.
posted by: hawkeye | January 19, 2011 12:47pm
JonessAC12: It is disapointing that you have veered away from your usual sensible judgement, and choose to trash Susan Bysiewicz as a candidate for Congress.
Susan Bysiewicz would be “a breath of fresh air in Congress, “after the good old boys like Joe Lieberman, have left this country, in a virtual state of bankruptcy, and the biggest debtor country in the world. “Your good old boys,” which you support, have left us owing $877 billion dollars in debt to China, losing any favorable bargaining power we now seek, on trade, military comprimise, human rights, and any other
issues in dealings with China.
“The good old boys” have reduced this country to a paper tiger!
Return to some rational thinking, JonesAC12, and don’t discourage, a necessary change we need in Congress, by electing Susan Bysiewicz in 2012, and start eliminating, our Congressional failures, before it’s too late for, all of us!
We need to start breaking up, the badly failed “good old boys club,” and by electing Susan Bysiewicz, as as a good start, in that direction!
posted by: ... | January 19, 2011 5:47pm
I think you misunderstand what I am implying. She would make a great, hardworking senator. She could get the job done I’m sure. But after her year, she has become easy fodder for the Republican cannons in 2012.
My point is I would rather have someone I both like, and can win, than someone I like, but I fear will be thrown into a corner of attacks by either Foley, Simmons, Schiff, or McMahon for her follies in 2010.
And those monies procured by China did not come from just the past 4 years when Joe Courtney and Chris Murphy were elected. This has been in the making for over a decade. But was largely a result of not funding our war in Iraq with our own money (like a responsible President & Congress would have done).
So once again hawkeye. If she wins the primary, I will vote for her because she will be the best candidate in 2012, but I will be keeping my eyes, ears, and mind open to all Democratic primary candidates. And I hope you do the same.