Connecticut Follies

Lots of news today from the Senate campaign in Connecticut. The latest polls are looking pretty glum for One-Note Ned Lamont (from Political Wire):

A new Public Opinion Strategies (R) poll finds Ned Lamont (D) trailing Sen. Joe Lieberman (I), 51% to 35%, in the Connecticut U.S. Senate race. Republican Alan Schlesinger receives 4% of the vote, while 10% remain undecided.

Key finding: When asked which candidate is running a negative campaign, 40% say Lamont compared to 19% for Lieberman.

There's also news today that Chuckie Schumer, the head of the Dem Senatorial Election campaign, spent millions in other races but not a dime to help Lieberman in the primary:

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) "didn't give a dime to help Sen. Joe Lieberman fight back against" Ned Lamont (D), reports the New York Post. "Schumer has lavishly tossed cash at other Democrats in tight fights for Senate seats this summer - but not at Lieberman."

"Schumer didn't want a paper trail tying him to Lieberman," according to one Democratic operative.

So after Lieberman wins, just how cooperative do you think he'll be with the other Senate Dems? It's news like this that could cause him to rethink caucusing with the Dems, and that could have an effect on who leads the Senate next year.

Captain Ed reports that there's a whisper campaign underway to suggest two really silly ideas about Lieberman. One, that the GOP has dumped millions of dollars into Lieberman's campaign (in a year in which the GOP faces the possible loss of control of both houses of Congress - sure), and that Bush plans to appoint Lieberman as Secretary of Defense after Don Rumsfeld resigns. Captain Ed even gives the wackos an idea of how to expand that rumor by having the Republican governor of Connecticut appoint Lieberman's replacement, thus delivering the seat to the GOP. It's all silly stuff, and all clearly designed to turn Connecticut voters away from Lieberman's independent campaign.

It'll only get crazier as we get closer to November.