Lieberman’s Stunning Defeat

The Connecticut Democrat becomes a political casualty of the Iraq war.

Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut vowed this week to run as an Independent in November, after his stunning loss in the Democratic primary to a novice politician who battered Lieberman over his support for the war in Iraq. In a state where disapproval of the war runs high, challenger Ned Lamont, a cable-television executive, portrayed the three-term incumbent and former vice presidential nominee as a lackey of the Bush administration. 'œNo more 'stay the course,'' Lamont told his cheering supporters. 'œStay the course is not a winning strategy in Iraq, and it's not a winning strategy in America.'

Lieberman, who captured 48 percent of the vote to Lamont's 52 percent, said he would remain in the race 'œfor the sake of our state, our country, and my party.' But top Democrats in Washington, D.C., and Connecticut rallied to Lamont, and insiders said pressure on Lieberman to withdraw would be intense.

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