Lamont wins, Lieberman concedes for now

HARTFORD — Three-term incumbent Joe Lieberman conceded defeat to Greenwich millionaire Ned Lamont on Tuesday in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.

But shortly after 11:20 p.m., Lieberman told cheering supporters here in that he will run as an independent Democrat in November.

"The drinks are on me," a beaming Lamont, whose fortune comes from telecommunications, told hundreds of supporters at the Four Points Sheraton in Meriden after Lieberman called him to concede.

Through a shower of red, white and blue confetti and a crowd chanting his name, he told the crowd that "Connecticut is called the land of steady habits, but tonight we voted for a big change."

He credited his victory to the creation of a coalition for change. Lamont then promised his supporters change in fixing a broken health-care system that has 47 million Americans uninsured, fixing a budget that's $9 trillion in debt and fixing Congress, which he said is beholden to lobbyists.

The Democratic nominee also said "It's high time" to bring 132,000 troops from Iraq "home to a hero's welcome."

Lieberman, however, was not about to give up.

"Send me back as an independent Democrat. I'll still fight for progressive new ideas and strong national security," Lieberman said. "And I will never hesitate to work with members of the other party, if it will help me build solutions for the people of Connecticut."

Lieberman also said he would do what he believes

is right for Connecticut and the country, regardless of the political consequences. He called Lamont and offered his congratulations and likened the competition to a football game, saying that Lamont was ahead after the first half, but that he planned to come back strong in the second. At 11:48 p.m., with 98 percent of the state's precincts reporting, Lamont had 144,005 votes to Lieberman's 134,026, for a percentage difference of 52 to 48.

It was a race that drew national attention as a plebiscite on the Iraq war, President Bush and the future direction of the Democratic Party.

Lieberman said he believes he would draw substantial support from the state's 453,715 Republican and 929,005 unaffiliated registered voters. Since winning his party's July nominating convention, three-term incumbent Lieberman saw his fortunes slide, as Lamont gained ground in state polls with his anti-Iraq, anti-Bush and anti-Lieberman message.

Capitalizing on voter anger over the Iraq war, Lamont held a 51 to 45 percent advantage among likely Democratic primary voters in a Quinnipiac University Poll on Monday.

Reporters and television crews from most major news outlets trailed Lieberman and Lamont across the state in the lead up to Tuesday's vote. Aside from the rarity of a serious primary challenge, the race was viewed as an early indicator of how the Iraq war will play in future political contests. Democrats are hoping to win back control of Congress in November.

A total of 696,823 state Democrats were eligible to vote in Tuesday's primary — including 28,886 who newly registered or switched from unaffiliated since May 1.

Lieberman, 64, spent more than $6 million on the campaign, relying heavily on contributions from lobbyists, Wall Street interests and Jewish Americans. Lieberman built a solid base of support around the country as the 2000 Democratic vice presidential candidate and as a presidential candidate in 2004.

Lamont, 52, sank $4 million of his own money into the race, telling voters that, unlike Lieberman, he would oppose Bush and advocate an end to the Iraq war. Although a newcomer to campaigns, he proved to be a formidable challenger. Lamont's television advertisements were clever and his campaign events energetic.

Lamont drew support from liberal Internet activists who raised awareness and cash for his campaign. Lamont also gained the support of well-known African-American political activists including the Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Rev. Al Sharpton.

Lieberman's campaign was disorganized at first but seemed to find its groove in the weeks leading up to the primary vote, as Lieberman toured the state in a bus to get back in touch with Democratic voters. He stressed that he understood the Iraq war is unpopular and said he wanted it to conclude quickly and successfully.

Lieberman, who was endorsed by the state's major newspapers, stressed his experience and voting record over Lamont's inexperience. Lieberman also brought in political heavyweights to boost his efforts, including former President Clinton and former Georgia Democratic Sen. Max Cleland, a disabled Vietnam veteran.

Opposition to Lieberman galvanized around two particular moments.

After his 2005 State of the Union address, Bush embraced Lieberman in the well of the House. The image of "The Kiss" has hounded Lieberman as he campaigns around the state — on lapel buttons and a paper mache float atop a flatbed truck.

In December, Lieberman urged colleagues to refrain from criticizing Bush over the Iraq war.

"It's time for Democrats who distrust President Bush to acknowledge that he will be the commander-in-chief for three more critical years and that in matters of war, we undermine presidential credibility at our nation's peril," he said.

Many Democrats were offended by the comment, believing that it provided cover to Bush just as Democrats were rallying around Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., and his call for an immediate withdrawal of American troops from Iraq.