Democrats now have a primary in the Connecticut Senate race, where incumbent independent Sen. Joe Lieberman is retiring. Rep. Chris Murphy has officially announced his campaign — and in his announcement video, he clearly pitches himself as a more liberal change from the ex-Dem Lieberman who split with the party over foreign policy.
“Connecticut deserves a new progressive voice in the Senate,” Murphy says “who listens to us, who knows that creating jobs requires extending health care to all Americans, and that reducing our deficit means bringing these wars to an end.”
Murphy also makes an interesting pledge of openness during the campaign: “So think of this as me knocking on your door. If you send me a question or a comment, I’ll respond — to every single one. Because the only way we do this, is together.”
[TPM SLIDESHOW: Goodbye, Joe: Lieberman Announces He’ll Retire In 2012]
Murphy was first elected in the Democratic wave of 2006, defeating 24-year incumbent Republican Nancy Johnson by a margin of 56%-44%. He was re-elected by 59%-39% in 2008, and by a narrower 54%-46% in the Republican year of 2010.
Two days ago, former Connecticut Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz got into the race. The next shoe dropped yesterday, when Lieberman officially announced his retirement.
Eric Kleefeld
Eric Kleefeld joined TPM as an intern for the final months of the 2006 midterm elections, and then kept showing up for work. His other interests include guitars, old comic books and the politics of various English-speaking countries.
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