Election 2006,  Politics

Senator Joe Lieberman Watch: MoveOn.org Endorses Challenger Ned Lamont

Ned Lamont, Sen. Joe Lieberman

Los Angeles Times: Strong Signs of Rift Among Democrats

Support for a challenger to longtime Sen. Joe Lieberman indicates tensions over Iraq war.

The liberal challenge to Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) escalated Friday when the political arm of MoveOn.org, an influential online advocacy group, endorsed the political newcomer opposing his bid for renomination.

Gaining the support of MoveOn’s political action committee was Ned Lamont, a businessman who wants to unseat Lieberman largely because of the veteran lawmaker’s staunch support for the war in Iraq.

The group announced its backing after polling MoveOn’s members in Connecticut.

MoveOn has emerged as a leading voice for left-leaning activists, and the endorsement marks the first time that its PAC has sought to unseat an incumbent Democratic senator.

“Lamont’s message resonated with members who want a senator who will stand up to President Bush on key issues and represent the views of most people in Connecticut,” said Eli Pariser, executive director of the MoveOn PAC.

With the endorsement, the group will seek to raise money and generate volunteers for Lamont among MoveOn’s 3.2 million members nationwide.

Lamont earlier this week gained an endorsement from Democracy for America, a liberal grass-roots group that Howard Dean established as his campaign for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination foundered. Dean gave up his leadership role when he became chairman of the Democratic National Committee last year, but the group is headed by his brother, Jim Dean.

Lamont’s candidacy also has become a priority for many liberal websites, such as Daily Kos — whose founder, Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, recently appeared in one of Lamont’s television advertisements.

With the involvement of these groups, the face-off between Lieberman and Lamont in Connecticut’s Aug. 8 primary has emerged as the focal point of tensions between Democratic liberals and centrists over the party’s direction.

Lefties eating their OWN in a Democrat Party civil war. It couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch of folks.

But, the LEFT wants to dominate the Democrat Party. Will they succeed?

We can only hope…….

Stay tuned……..

Markos Moulitsas “Screw Them” Zuniga and Lamont in Hartford.

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