U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, the self-described “independent Democrat” from Stamford, said yesterday he backs a proposal being floated by some state officials to let voters address future senate vacancies.
Currently the decision is left up to the Governor.
“In my opinion it’s always better to have somebody in a high office be elected as opposed to appointed,” Lieberman said, although he added he understands there are concerns about the fiscal impact of special elections.
Some Democrats criticized Lieberman in 2000 for deciding to seek re-election while also running for vice-president alongside Al Gore. Their argument was if the Gore/Lieberman ticket won AND Lieberman won back his Senate seat, then-Republican Gov. John Rowland would have filled the vacancy with a fellow member of the GOP.
Lieberman has since done plenty of other things to tick-off Democrats, but this was one of the first times party faithful, despite celebrating their Senator’s bid for the White House, grumbled he was putting self-interest ahead of the party.
