MoveOn Online Primary Results: 85% for Lamont / 14% Lieberman

Dear MoveOn member in Connecticut,

I wanted to share the results from our online primary with you before we tell the media. Drumroll, please: By a whopping 85% to 14%, MoveOn members supported Ned Lamont for Connecticut's U.S. Senate seat — securing him the MoveOn endorsement.

Now that we've decided together to support Lamont, please consider making a contribution to his campaign by clicking on the link below. Senator Lieberman has a war chest of over $4.2 million—so Ned will need all of our help to wage a good campaign. Can you chip in a few bucks to help elect a new Democratic senator for Connecticut?

https://secure.nedlamont.com/page/contribute

You can also sign up to volunteer for Ned Lamont on his website at the link above.

Your endorsement of Ned Lamont means that we'll raise money for him and help get folks out to the polls for the August 8th primary. We'll bring some national focus to the race as well. But how well he does in August will depend largely on our Connecticut members. Now's the time to get involved.

So why did the vote come out the way we did? Here are a few representative comments that illustrate what we heard from a lot of you:

"I do not see that Senator Lieberman actually cares about Connecticut voters. He has treated them with contempt and complacence. I don't have a problem with Democrats who don't vote the party line, but I do have a problem with senators who treat their offices as an entitlement, and this is what Sen. Lieberman seems to be doing."
-Dara from New Haven, CT

"Lamont is exactly the sort of candidate MoveOn should support: a true progressive running against the forces of Beltway conventional wisdom and accommodation of the Radical Right."
-Greg from Watertown, CT

"I'm impressed with the "fresh approach" that Ned Lamont seems to bring to the table. I think that he's correct when he says that the Democratic party needs to stand out from the Republicans (and the "W" administration). At first I was leaning towards Joe Lieberman because I can see that he is an established senator who has many contacts and perhaps has the power of persuasion within Washington, but I'm willing to take a chance on a "new guy" who better fits the voice I'd like represented."
-Meegan from Waterbury, CT

"Ned Lamont articulates my values about Iraq, health care, the environment."
-Marion from Branford, CT

Look for more from us on this race in the weeks ahead. And thanks again for helping MoveOn make this important decision.

Sincerely,

–Eli Pariser
Executive Director, MoveOn.org Political Action
Friday, May 26th, 2006

I mean Lieberman

Lieberman has lots of support in CT outside of the Net.

say it ain't so!

Don't they know even if they can defeat Lieberman in the primary (which they won't), he'll run as independent and still retain his seat?

But a real challenge in the Primary MIGHT remind him what that "D" in (D-CT) stands for.
-edited for spelling

Hmm, Ned has pledged to support the Democratic ticket if he loses the primary and Joe has said he'd run as an Independent if he loses the primary. Then maybe all the Joementum supporters can start an um, IndependentUnderground.com. :rofl:

That could seen to be a national question on whether pragmatism should outweigh progressive campaigning or more narrowly, those who argue that the best man is more important than the man who is a sure win. That feels about right considering discussions on our board where numbers favor deserting the "sure" thing or the traditional pragmatic candidate. It would have been better for this question had only people from the one state been asked. Does pragmatism or fear increase when the issue falls close to home? It may, but the poll indicates that the vast majority are ready and willing to shift away from the safe candidate who does not represent important ideas and actions.

No large progressive movement, on the other hand, is really intent on making a purgative, risky and nationwide challenge to the traditional, pragmatic party structure. They very much want them to win for the sake of the nation even more than for even necessary progressive planks. You'd have to take out more than Lieberman- and win- to force a real sea change in DNC politics. The response of the muddled generation of current party leadership would still in large part be denial and self-preservation at the expense of party and nation. If they would genuinely change toward their better nature- as Democrats, FDR Democrats if you will- the unity that progressives are still ready for would drive the center of the nation back to sanity. Otherwise divisions of every sort are going to work for a minority of fanatics and gangsters who are currently King of the Hill.

But if he wins I want him to sweat the whole time. I want that big giant ego that makes him think he is above the average democratic voter to get bruised pretty badly. I want him humbled so maybe he'll lose a little of his arrogance and the contempt he has for those who disagree with him. I want him to be forced to remember that he is a Democrat!

Of course I want world peace as well, and it looks like that ain't gonna happen anytime soon.

for Ned Lamont. :kick: