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Democratic candidates concerned about fate if Lieberman loses
The Boston Globe ^ | 7/24/06 | Susan Haigh

Posted on 07/24/2006 7:40:36 PM PDT by LdSentinal

WATERBURY, Conn. --As U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman tried to rally his supporters with a campaign visit from former President Bill Clinton Monday, some Democrats acknowledged they're worried a Lieberman primary loss could hurt other Democratic candidates on the November ballot.

"It makes it more challenging," said John Olsen, president of the Connecticut AFL-CIO and former chairman of the state Democratic Party, when asked what a Lieberman primary loss would mean to Democrats running for everything from Congress to state representative.

The hot Senate race has already drawn complaints from the two Democratic gubernatorial candidates running in the Aug. 8 primary. The campaigns for both Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy and New Haven Mayor John DeStefano have complained that the Senate race is garnering the bulk of media attention, leaving their candidates fighting to win the voters' attention.

Feelings are mixed as to whether a primary loss by Lieberman would hurt the chances for the three Democrats hoping to defeat the state's three incumbent GOP U.S. House members, Reps. Chris Shays, Rob Simmons and Nancy Johnson.

(Excerpt) Read more at wtnh.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Connecticut
KEYWORDS: 109th; 2006; antisemetism; clinton; connecticutt; democrats; election2006; electioncongress; hezbollah; israel; lamont; lebanon; lieberman; ned; primary; senate
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1 posted on 07/24/2006 7:40:38 PM PDT by LdSentinal
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To: LdSentinal

The RATS scurry...


2 posted on 07/24/2006 7:42:49 PM PDT by The Old Hoosier (Right makes might.)
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To: LdSentinal

couldn't happen to a better bunch of nincompoops.


3 posted on 07/24/2006 7:42:55 PM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ......Help the "Pendleton 8' and families -- http://www.freerepublic.com/~normsrevenge/)
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To: LdSentinal

The Donks are self destructing. Rove sees victory in tieing the Kos albatros around the Donks necks.


4 posted on 07/24/2006 7:50:41 PM PDT by ArtyFO (I love to smoke cigars when I adjust artillery fire.)
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To: LdSentinal
...visit from former President Bill Clinton...

Ooooo. Joe is TOAST. A visit from BJ Clinton is like the kiss of death!

5 posted on 07/24/2006 7:53:04 PM PDT by SERKIT ("Blazing Saddles" explains it all.....)
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To: ArtyFO

Sorry, but I would rather Lieberman beat Lamont just because the blog weenies don't want him to. Its better for the country as a whole that these cranks are discounted.


6 posted on 07/24/2006 7:54:27 PM PDT by Democratshavenobrains
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To: The Old Hoosier

If Joe loses every dem candidate will fall all over themselves trying to come up with the most abject surrender plan for Iraq. That would be a good thing.


7 posted on 07/24/2006 7:57:10 PM PDT by Texasforever (I have neither been there nor done that.)
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To: Democratshavenobrains

I would rather Lieberman beat Lamont just because the blog weenies don't want him to.

I'm with you. I'd like to see the Kos Kooks perfect record of backing losers continue.

8 posted on 07/24/2006 7:58:54 PM PDT by RedRover
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To: LdSentinal

Everyone talks about how "moderate" Joe Lieberman is, how he's the last sane Democrat alive. Bull. The RNC should go all out and support Schlesinger. Schlesinger is the Republican candidate for Senate, and he's a solid conservative. Conservatives should stop pandering to Lieberman. He's not our problem.


9 posted on 07/24/2006 7:59:40 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (404 Page Error Found)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

I think he will get some support as the general election campaign starts. He may have a shot in a 3 way race.


10 posted on 07/24/2006 8:00:58 PM PDT by Texasforever (I have neither been there nor done that.)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
One thing really worries me about the Senate races. Liddy Dole has completely blown the fundraising. She is a total disaster and that may effect the ability to get money to long shot races like this and for Harris. I hope to heck Dole is shown the door.
11 posted on 07/24/2006 8:03:38 PM PDT by Texasforever (I have neither been there nor done that.)
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To: LdSentinal

Joe is right on Iraq. He could win as an Independent.

Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters
Shalom Israel


12 posted on 07/24/2006 8:07:19 PM PDT by bray (Jeb '08, just to watch their Heads Explode!)
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To: SERKIT
A visit from BJ Clinton is like the kiss of death!

All he needs now is a follow-up visit by al gore.

13 posted on 07/24/2006 8:13:27 PM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: LdSentinal
A couple of points about this election and its effects.

As most of you know, if Lamont wins the primary, Lieberman will run against Lamont as an independent in the general election. Also running in the general election is Alan Schlesinger, a Republican who is presently polling in the single digits and whose support continues to fall, but the good news is that because he's polling at 9%, his support can only fall 9% more.

Schlesinger had unpaid gambling debts of $20,000 at two NJ Casinos, racked up $50,000 in losses at Foxwoods and was kicked out of Foxwoods for card counting (which I don't think is a bad thing, but if you're counting cards and you still lose $70K, it's time to pick something else to do in your leisure time). Schlesinger also used a fake name for some wampum card (kind of like a frequent gambler card I guess). I don't see this as a major problem because he wanted to keep his name off the record (he was mayor of the small town of Derby), but explaining all this crap just isn't helpful. Why he hasn't dropped out is beyond me, but then, with $70,000 in gambling losses, knowing when to drop out because your chances don't look so good doesn't seem to be something this guy's very good at.

Republicans benefit and are hurt in different ways depending on who wins the Democrat primary.

If Lieberman wins, this will likely increase turnout among Democrats in the election, which could help them in other races. All the Lamontites and Lieberman supporters will turn out.

However, a Lieberman victory is going to cause all Democrat volunteers to be working for the Senate race, so other races will have few volunteers. The Senate race is also going to suck money, so other candidates will have a harder time raising money, and a harder time airing political ads. Lamont and Lieberman are going to raise a ton nationally. This will also hurt other Democrats around the country.

The top line is Republican (since the governor is Republican), the second is Democrat, and then there are minor parties and then Lieberman (if he's running as an independent and not as a Democrat). RINO Governor Rell is popular, and will get some Dem votes. So many Dems will vote line 1, then line 5 (or wherever Lieberman ends up), and will then have to search around for the next race (State Senate) to see whom to vote for, so Dem straight ticket voting is interrupted. However, with Schlesinger being such a terrible candidate, so is the Republican straight ticket. Oh, and there's no way that Schlesinger wins a 3 way race.

If Lieberman wins, many Dems may stay home on election day. Rell is going to top 60%, so with their pretty-boy Lamont out of the race, they might just say, to hell with the Democrats, there's no point. However, the volunteers will flow to the down-ticket races, as will money. A Lieberman victory keeps the Kos streak alive.

If Lieberman loses the primary, the national implications are pretty compelling. Some Dems will support Lamont, some will support Lieberman, and the rift in that party will be there for all to see. Every Democrat running is going to be asked whom they support. This will be seen more or less as a proxy on the war.

If Lieberman loses the primary but wins the general, Republicans can always claim that the Democratic party is the party of extremists. The Democrats can't even trust their own primary voters. If Lieberman loses the primary and the general, the Democrats will be seen as a far left party with no room for dissention. Lieberman will join the speaking circuit, probably with some foreign policy group that supports the Iraq war and a strong Israel. Probably not Heritage, but something more Jewish, more foreign policy focused. And the Kossites will continue their purge of the Democrat party.

14 posted on 07/24/2006 8:23:06 PM PDT by Koblenz (Holland: a very tolerant country. Until someone shoots you on a public street in broad daylight...)
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To: Koblenz

Wow. You've really studied this. I had no idea the Pubbie was such a terrible candidate. With support of 9%, he must have totally swept his friends and relatives. It sounds like the Republicans come out better over all if Lieberman runs as an independent and wins. That drains money from the other races, divides the Democrats, and also casts serious doubt on the ability of the Rats to even control their own party. I know that Lieberman has said he would go into the Senate as a Rat, even if he won as an independent, but I'm wondering if he would stay that way. Six months of running against your party can create some pretty hard feelings.


15 posted on 07/24/2006 8:31:38 PM PDT by Richard Kimball
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To: LdSentinal

I never knew there was such a thing as a political nervous breakdown until now....


16 posted on 07/24/2006 8:36:22 PM PDT by demkicker (democrats and terrorists are intimate bedfellows)
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To: LdSentinal
The Drive By Media says November is gonna be 1994 in reverse. What are they going to say if Lieberman can't win his own party's nomination in a reliable Blue State? The Democrats have problems with their kooks and they have no message.

(Go Israel, Go! Slap 'Em Down Hezbullies.)

17 posted on 07/24/2006 8:39:57 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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Comment #18 Removed by Moderator

To: LibertyisSpecial

if you are a Conneticut Yankee vote Daily Kos.........Send the Democrat party over the cliff.


19 posted on 07/25/2006 2:52:48 AM PDT by stocksthatgoup (http://www.busateripens.com)
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To: Democratshavenobrains

Not necessacerily, if Lamont wins it sends a message that the dems are over the top and going rediculous left. That alone should scare most sane voters.


20 posted on 07/25/2006 3:45:09 AM PDT by Joe Boucher (an enemy of islam)
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