Give us your best shot on Lieberman going independent.

[monarch]

When?-- Is he waiting until the Republicans have the shortest time frame for putting in a better known candidate--or has he been assured of a Republican endorsement? Is he waiting so he can collect as many Dem dollars as possible for whatever he ends up doing? Other thoughts?

What will the Republicans do?-- endorse Joe? Put in somebody like Chris Shays, who is in serious trouble in his own race but is well known? See fawning article in The Courant this morning http://www.courant.com/news/local/northeast/hc-ne-shays0611,0,2874612.story

What will become of our Joe?

And, for you CT political junkies, is this the best place to be in the world of politics right now?

[connecticut yankee]

1. Chris Shays

is a good and honorable man, which is more than I can say about Lieberman.

[NewJeffCT]

2. A few months ago...

I was on the fence about Lieberman, fearing that somebody like a Chris Shays or Nancy Johnson could jump in the race against Lamont and then give the political novice a real battle because all the newspapers in the state are basically Republican-allied...

However, once he didn't rule out running as an independent, I have turned my back on him completely. I would fear a race with Lamont & Lieberman splitting 65% of the vote and a Republican like Shays or Johnson winning on the basis of getting 35%.

[Larkspur]

3. CT Repukes already nominated a US Senate candidate

Nancy Johnson is starting to have to work to retain her seat, so I don't see her nor any of the other 2 Congressional Repukes jumping into the US Senate race.

Right now, in a 3-way race, Lieberman wins handily, but Lamont has the momentum and Lieberman's poll numbers will improve as Lieberman will still have to campaign.

The Repuke candidate won't win in November. He's out of touch with mainstream CT.

[monarch]

4. I know that they currently have an unknown candidate but

there is nothing to keep them from putting in a stronger candidate if Joe looks vulnerable. If you recall, back in 2000, the Republicans talked about pulling Giordano if Joe were to withdraw to devote his energies to the vice-presidential race. At this point, Schlesinger can be considered merely a place holder and he might possibly decide to spend more time with his family.

Both Shays and Johnson, particularly Shays, are looking extremely vulnerable in their current races so there may be nothing for either of them to lose if one of them wants to take a flier on the Senate.

I agree with you that Lamont has the momentum. Current polling is completely irrelevant at this point and the question asked now about a 3-way race doesn't begin to assess the fallout if Joe betrays his party and the people who have voted for him on the basis of his "character."

[Larkspur]

5. The CT Republican party is weak

Jodi Rell is there strongest candidate and she has no ambitions to become US Senator. I think she will do one more term as gov and then retire from politics.

If Shays and Johnson leave their seats because they feel that they will lose them, then they would be entering the US Senate seat from a position of weakness, not strength. I don't see either one of them leaving their races to enter the US Senate fray.

[NewJeffCT]

7. Will they be able to spin their way out of it?

Will Johnson or Shays be able to spin their way out of a possible loss in the House? Or, would the media play it like "Chris Shays comes to rescue CT Republicans?"

Or, maybe the Republican candidate drops out for mysterious "health reasons" and Johnson comes in to the rescue?

Sorry for being cynical, but it's a possibility.

[madinmaryland]

6. Who did the pukes nominate?

[Nutmegger]

8. Repuke Alan Schlesinger

http://www.schlesinger2006.com/

:puke:!!!

[madinmaryland]

9. Never heard of him and

I lived in CT for more than 20 years. Is he going to be as "strong" as the last Repuke challenger? :evilgrin:

[NewJeffCT]

10. Yes about as strong

Wasn't Lieberman's last challenger on the R side Phil Giordano? you know, the Waterbury mayor who is now in jail for child molestation...

[monarch]

11. Yep Giordano's the one

I wish that all the many reference to corrupt Republicans in various internet lists would mention that race. He is practically always identified only as the mayor of Waterbury. It would have so much more impact if the state Republican party could be tarred with having given him its imprimatur.

[TheVirginian]

12. Republicans will put up a nominal candidate and vote for Joe.

[connecticut yankee]

13. They always have

That's how he got elected in the first place.

William F. Buckley has always been one of his staunchest supporters.

[JerseygirlCT]

14. When? After a primary loss.

And it will likely put the Dems in a very bad spot, I think.

The state's GOP likes Joe very much. Independents will likely go for the known name, especially since Lamont will continue to be painted as the candidate of the far-left.