CALIFORNIA YANKEE

The Party Of One

John Orman, a political science professor at Fairfield University, and critic of Senator Lieberman, is the new chairman and the only member of the Connecticut for Lieberman Party.

Lieberman formed the political party after he lost the Democratic primary to Lamont.

After Lieberman won the November election, Orman contacted the secretary of the state, learned the Connecticut for Lieberman Party had no registered members, switched his registered affiliation from Democrat to Connecticut for Lieberman:

"Then I went home and called a meeting of all registered Connecticut for Lieberman members to reflect on our party's victory in the U.S. Senate race (and) organize and submit rules to the secretary of the state," Orman said.

He nominated himself chairman, seconded the nomination, cast his vote for himself and proceeded to establish party rules.

Orman said the "party" is upset that Lieberman has abandoned it and says he is an "Independent Democrat."

"I want to organize it as a group that will keep (Lieberman) accountable," Orman said. "It will be dedicated to critics, opponents, bloggers. . . . I'm just trying to carry it to the next step."

There is a serious side to this. Orman is continuing to challenge the legitimacy of the Connecticut for Lieberman Party. Perhaps the professor has made his point. Still, it is a good thing that anyone who can get enough valid signatures is able to get on the ballot in Connecticut.

CT-02 Too Close To Call

Republican Congressman Rob Simmons and Democrat Joe Courtney are deadlocked in the race for Connecticut's 2nd Congressional District, which could result in a recount.

CT-04: Shays declares Victory

Republican Congressman Christopher Shays, declared victory in his rematch against Democratic nominee Diane Farrell.

One of Connecticut's three Republican members of Congress targeted for extinction by the national Democratic Party, Shays overcame the Democrats' strong anti-war and anti-Bush message.

CT-05 Murphy projected Winner Over Johnson

Nancy Johnson, a 71 year old Republican incumbent running for her 13th term was defeated by 33 year old state Senator Chris Murphy. Murphy relentlessly attacked Johnson for taking contributions from drug companies and for co-authoring Medicare prescription drug legislation that many senior citizens found confusing.

Senator Lieberman Projected Winner

Abandoned, rejected, and branded a traitor by Connecticut primary voters and the left side of the blogosphere, Senator Joe lieberman overwhelmed the Democrats' anti-war candidate Ned Lamont.

That Lieberman, one of the Senate's biggest supporters of the War, can defeat the Democrats' anti-war poster boy in one of the bluest states where 68 percent disapprove of the President, and when pollster after pollster claims that the most important issue is the war, raises doubts that the Defeatocrats anti-war message isn't playing as well as the biased media wing of the Democratic Party would have you believe.

CT Governor: Rell Projected Winner

Connecticut's ever popular Republican Governor has been projected the winner over liberal Democrat, New Haven Mayor John DeStefano. DeStefano failed to get any traction as he mounted attack after attack against Rell.

Turnout Appears High For Lieberman Race

The Associated Press reports it's been a busy morning at the polls in Connecticut:

State officials report a lot of activity so far this morning. A spokesman in the secretary of state's office says turnout in Danbury, Wilton and two other communities is outpacing that from two years ago.

I just voted. I spent about ten minutes door to door. I freely admit I timed my voting to avoid the noon rush, but there was no wait. We saw no indication of high turnout.

Pelosi Storms CT

A big indication of what worries the Democrats can be seen in the desperate move sending the divisive queen of the left wing Nancy Pelosi, already anointed Speaker by the biased media wing of the Democratic party, to campaign in Connecticut.

The Hartford Courant, which like the New York Times has endorsed a completely Democratic Congressional delegation for Connecticut, reports on the San Franciscan liberal's weekend barnstorming for her liberal anti-war followers:

For Nancy Pelosi, all politics is personal.

The California Democrat is poised to become the next speaker if her party wins control of Congress Tuesday. And that explains why she came to Connecticut Sunday to rally supporters of Democratic congressional challengers Chris Murphy, Joe Courtney and Diane Farrell. The state is a key battleground, and polls show that all three races are too close to call.

"We need ... 15 seats to win back the House," Pelosi told a group of Courtney backers at the candidate's headquarters in Colchester. "Connecticut can lead the way [and] supply one-fifth of what we need."

Connecticut Republicans view Pelosi as a divisive figure and said they were thrilled that she decided to visit the state.

State GOP Chairman George D. Gallo e-mailed this reaction to Pelosi's invasion:

In these close races in Connecticut, there are few things that motivate Republicans and independents more to vote for our candidates than the thought of Nancy Pelosi being two heartbeats from the presidency.

The race for all three of Connecticut's Republican Congressional Representatives is very close. So close it will come down to which party runs the best get out the vote effort. The Republicans will be helped by the extremely popular Republican Governor Jodi Rell heading the ticket. More help comes from Senator Lieberman's Independent comeback against the Democrat's anti-war poster boy Lamont. The Senate race will spur more Republicans to turn out.

Lieberman's Independent run also hurts Connecticut Democrats' GOTV effort. The Democrats usually count on Lieberman to raise several hundred thousand dollars to fund its GOTV operation, but not this year. After pouring more than $14 million of his family fortune on his own campaign, Lamont has not stepped up to fill the void. Many of the unions, upon which the Democratic GOTV operations depend, are too busy helping Lieberman.

Lieberman Maintains 12 Point Lead

The new Quinnipiac University poll finds Democratic Senator Lieberman maintaining a 12 point lead, 50 - 38 percent among likely voters, over the Democratic nominee Lamont. Republican candidate Alan Schlesinger remains at 8 percent.

The new poll shows very little movement from the November 1 poll in which Senator Lieberman led, 49 - 37 percent, with 8 percent for Schlesinger.

Senator Lieberman now leads Lamont 79 - 3 percent among likely Republican voters, with 16 percent for Schlesinger, and 52 - 35 - 7 percent among independent voters, while likely Democratic voters back Lamont 66 - 27 percent.

That Lieberman, one of the biggest supporters of the War, can defeat the Democrats' anti-war poster boy in one of the bluest states where 68 percent disapprove of the President, and when pollster after pollster claims that the most important issue is the war, can only lead to the conclusion that the Defeatocrats anti-war message isn't playing well.

Dodd Disappoints

The Connecticut senate duel between Democratic Senator Lieberman and the Democrat's anti-war nominee Ned Lamont has bruised Senator Lieberman his colleague and friend, Senator Christopher Dodd.

Dodd, like Senator Biden chose political expediency over friendship and supports Lamont:

"Look, I understand that people are playing by a partisan political playbook," Lieberman said at a campaign stop. "You know why it is disappointing in Chris' case? Because we're friends. But life will go on. We'll work together because that's our job, to work together for the people of Connecticut."

[. . .]

"As people said to me, 'How could people have said on Monday of one week in August that you were one of the great senators in American history, Tuesday, you lose the primary by three-and-a-half points, and Wednesday they support your opponent?'" said Lieberman.

I hope the 2008 presidential bids of both Biden and Dodd are short-lived.