Amann mum until Monday on Senate candidate endorsement

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

08/12/2006
Amann mum until Monday on Senate candidate endorsement
Chris Rhatigan , Register Staff


-MILFORD — State House Speaker James A. Amann said last month that he would risk angering his party and support U.S. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman even if the state’s junior senator ran as an independent candidate. But Amann Friday said he hasn’t officially signed on with any candidate and will wait until Monday to make a decision.


"My wife (Terri) and I are going to talk about it this weekend," Amann said.

When asked if he was considering backing Democratic primary winner Ned Lamont; simply withdrawing his support for any candidate in the race; or supporting Lieberman, Amann again said he would not reveal his decision until Monday.

However, he hinted that he would continue to support Lieberman, an 18-year incumbent who recently lost the Democratic nomination to the Greenwich businessman.

"Joe’s an old friend of mine. I still don’t know who Ned Lamont is," Amann said. Early in Amann’s career, Lieberman helped him out by doing a 30-second TV spot, which Amann said helped propel him to a razor-thin victory.

Amann said he spoke with Lieberman on the phone Friday morning. He said Lieberman is predicting victory in the Senate race and asked for his support.

"He wants me to stand by him, but he understands that there are other hats that I wear," he said.

Whether Amann would be chastised by others in his party if he throws his weight behind Lieberman is irrelevant, he said.

"The bottom line is: I respect their opinion, and I hope they respect my opinion," he said. "(Lieberman) made it quite clear that he’s still a Democrat."



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