Much of the media attributed Lamont’s narrow victory to his criticism of Lieberman’s “outspoken support for the Iraq war and perceived closeness to President Bush,” as an AP report put it.

Recent polls show Lieberman running neck and neck with Lamont. A number of Republican officials, including President George Bush, have praised Lieberman and distanced themselves from Republican nominee Alan Schlesinger, who is far behind at 3 percent in the polls.

Lieberman, who was the Democrats’ 2000 vice presidential nominee, says he will continue to caucus with members of his party if reelected. He is one of the Senate Democrats who have most strongly supported the White House’s conduct of the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

Lamont, a wealthy cable TV executive, has focused his contest with Lieberman on criticism of the U.S. conduct of the Iraq war. Having backed the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, he argues that Washington is not making sufficient headway in Iraq and should cut its losses to press more effectively on other fronts such as Iran.

“We’re not making progress in the war in Iraq right now,” Lamont said in a July debate with Lieberman. “There are deaths of Americans. It’s going downhill.” He proposed to set a “timeline” and “start bringing our troops home now.”“Today, America is no safer, Israel is no safer, Iran is more dangerous, Osama bin Laden is still at large,” he argues in campaign statements on his website.

Lamont says “the Bush administration has been preoccupied with Iraq while national security and efforts to curb terrorism have suffered,” according to an August 11 AP dispatch. He proposes redeploying National Guard forces from Iraq to reinforce “homeland defense.”

In New York State, Jonathan Tasini, described by the media as an “antiwar Democrat,” is engaged in a longshot Senate bid against incumbent Hillary Clinton in the September 12 primary.

Tasini, a liberal blogger and former president of the National Writers Union, has criticized Clinton for being one of 29 Senate Democrats who in 2002 voted to support the U.S. assault on Iraq. He campaigns along lines similar to Lamont.

Saying the U.S. invasion of Iraq was “unnecessary,” Tasini calls for “bringing the troops home now” and replacing them with occupation forces from “a UN Security Council-backed real coalition of truly willing countries.” Clinton is expected to easily win the primary.  
 
 
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