Connecticut Local Politics

As we approach Connecticut’s Presidential primary, it seems as if we are still feeling and seeing the effects of Connecticut’s last state-wide primary, the one for U.S. Senate two years ago. The ribbles of that outcome, which had Lamont winning the Democratic endorsement for Senate over a three-term Senator and former Vice-Presidential candidate, are most clearly seen in Joe Lieberman’s political drift since that election. This week the “Independent Democrat” Senator has been campaigning for Republican candidate John McCain and he’s also endorsed Republican Senator Susan Collins from Maine for re-election. Even more stunning, Lieberman endorsed McCain while Chris Dodd was still in the race on the Democratic side. It’s extremely unlikely that any of this would have occurred if Lieberman had prevailed two summers ago.

The impact can also be seen, I think, in the actions of many of Connecticut’s most prominent Democratic politicians over the past few weeks. In recent days, Larson, DeLauro and Murphy have all come out for Obama as opposed to the more conventional and establishment candidate, Clinton. Recall that in the Senate primary campaign, very few Democratic politicians endorsed Lamont prior to his primary victory. Absent Lamont’s victory, would we be seeing all of these endorsements before the final outcome is known? My sense is that Lamont’s success has made politicians a little more willing to embrace and endorse the outsider.

Are we still seeing the fallout from that most interesting summer of two years ago? Personally, I don’t think we’re done seeing how history is still being shifted following Lamont’s campaign against Connecticut’s Democratic establishment. Now let’s see what Tuesday brings.