Lieberman Loses Election And Support

Aug. 9 - KGO (KGO) -- Connecticut Democrat Joe Lieberman can count himself among the casualties of the Iraq war tonight, and Bay Area Democrats have been quick to abandon their support for him.

Lieberman lost his re-election bid last night by a margin of four percentage points to a challenger who pounded away at Lieberman’s support for the war. His campaign filed more than enough signatures today to place him on the ballot as an independent candidate.

Sen. Joe Lieberman: "I want to offer a different way this turn in this campaign now gives me the opportunity for me to be exactly what I am an independent democrat."

Lieberman’s loss is only the fourth in 20 years for an incumbant senator in a primary. It’s now a three way race between Lieberman, democrat Ned Lamont and Republican Alan Schlesinger who has trailed far behind both Democrats in the polls.

Duf Sundheim, GOP State Chairman: "It’s going to be a very rough road for our party to come out ahead."

Sundheim doesn’t give the Republican candidate much of a shot in Connecticut. But says long term Ned Lamont’s victory will push the Democratic party further to the left.

Duf Sundheim: "I think that will have long term negative consequences for the party."

Democratic leaders are lining up behind Ned Lamont. Ellen Tauscher who nominated Lieberman for vice president just six years ago is saying today she wishes he wouldn’t run.

Ellen Tauscher: "As much as we have affection for Joe and as much as we care for him personally you have to support the will of the people in Connecticut that voted yesterday.

Tauscher is worried that Lieberman’s independent run could cause problems for Democrats.

But certainly Lamont’s win is worse news for Republicans that support the president and the war in Iraq.

And it underscores the power of liberal bloggers like Berkeley’s Markos Moulitsas who runs the dailykos website and was a big Lamont supporter.

Markos Moulitsas: "The best benefit that blogs can provide a candidate is buzz they can motivate big dollar donors to put money to these candidates."

Alex Clemans runs theusualsuspects.com, a political website in San Francisco.

ABC7’s Mark Matthews: "Do you think they handed Lamont the victory?"

Alex Clemens: "I don’t think they handed Lamont the victory George Bush handed Lamont the victory this was a referendum on the war."

The internet allows people all over the country to weigh in with phone calls to voters with contributions to candidates with the political infrastructure it takes to win. And in this case there are a lot of people unhappy with the president and with the war and they found a voice in Ned Lamont.