Editing Joe Lieberman (section)

====General election====
{{Main|2006 United States Senate election in Connecticut}}
[[File:Joe Lieberman July 2006.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Lieberman during his re-election campaign on an independent ticket]]

Polls after the primary showed Lieberman leading by varying margins.<ref>{{cite web |title=Connecticut Races – Sabato's Crystal Ball |url=https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/2006/senate/ct/ |website=centerforpolitics.org |access-date=February 22, 2022 |archive-date=February 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220222222832/https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/2006/senate/ct/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Alan Schlesinger]] barely registered support,<ref>{{cite thesis |last=Skoland |first=Espen |date=June 1, 2007 |title=Does blogging win votes? |type=Masters of Arts |publisher=Griffith University |pages=41–42 |citeseerx=10.1.1.466.1822}}</ref> and his campaign had run into problems based on alleged gambling debts. According to columnist [[Steve Kornacki]], Lieberman was therefore "able to run in the general election as the de facto Republican candidate&nbsp;– every major Republican office-holder in the state endorsed him&nbsp;– and to supplement that GOP base with strong support from independents."<ref>Kornacki, Steve (January 24, 2011) [https://web.archive.org/web/20110127021513/http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/01/24/lieberman_hutchison_retire/index.html The most cowardly act of a retiring politician], ''[[Salon (website)|Salon]]''</ref>

On August 9, 2006, [[Hillary Clinton]], the junior [[List of United States senators from New York|U.S. senator from New York]], affirmed her pledge to support the primary winner, saying "voters of Connecticut have made their decision and I think that decision should be respected",<ref>Fouhy, Beth. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/10/AR2006081001659.html Clinton Reiterates Pledge to Back Lamont.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914022359/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/10/AR2006081001659.html |date=September 14, 2018 }} ''[[The Washington Post]]'' August 10, 2006.</ref> and [[Howard Dean]] called for Lieberman to quit the race, saying he was being "disrespectful of Democrats and disrespectful of the Democratic Party".<ref>Nagourney, Adam.[https://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/09/washington/09cnd-senate.html?_r=1&hp&ex=1155182400&en=386129a0dcd5f147&ei=5094&partner=homepage&oref=login PRIMARY IN CONNECTICUT: NEWS ANALYSIS; A Referendum On Iraq Policy.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523091803/https://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/09/washington/09cnd-senate.html?_r=1&hp&ex=1155182400&en=386129a0dcd5f147&ei=5094&partner=homepage&oref=login |date=May 23, 2018 }} ''[[The New York Times]]'' August 9, 2006.</ref> On August 10, in his first campaign appearance since losing the Democratic primary, referencing the [[2006 transatlantic aircraft plot]], Lieberman criticized Lamont, saying: "If we just pick up like Ned Lamont wants us to do, get out [of Iraq] by a date certain, it will be taken as a tremendous victory by the same people who wanted to blow up these planes in this plot hatched in England. It will strengthen them and they will strike again."<ref name="Offensive">Healy, Patrick and Medina, Jennifer. [https://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/11/nyregion/11conn.html?ex=1155441600&en=c8a5d8aa54c3a879&ei=5087%0A Lieberman Goes on the Offensive, Linking the Terror Threat to Iraq.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102124026/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/11/nyregion/11conn.html?ex=1155441600&en=c8a5d8aa54c3a879&ei=5087%0A |date=January 2, 2016 }} ''[[The New York Times]]'' August 11, 2006.</ref> Lamont noted Lieberman's position was similar to [[George W. Bush]] and [[Dick Cheney]]'s position. Lamont said, "That comment sounds an awful lot like Vice President Cheney's comment on Wednesday. Both of them believe our invasion of Iraq has a lot to do with 9/11. That's a false premise."<ref name="Offensive" /> Lieberman's communications director replied that Lamont was politicizing national security by "portraying [Lieberman] as a soul mate of President Bush on Iraq".<ref name="Offensive" />

As a Democrat, Lieberman earned an inordinate amount of support from some prominent conservatives in American politics. On August 17, 2006, the [[National Republican Senatorial Committee]] stated that they would favor a Lieberman victory in the November election over Democratic nominee Ned Lamont; however, the NRSC stated that they were not going so far as to actually support Lieberman.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060916143703/http://thepoliticker.observer.com/2006/08/nrsc-takes-lieberman.html NRSC Takes Lieberman.]. Retrieved October 10, 2006.</ref> Former New York mayor [[Rudy Giuliani]] praised Lieberman at a [[South Carolina]] campaign stop on August 18, saying he was "a really exceptional senator".<ref>[https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna14301381 First Read.]  NBC News. August 17, 2006.</ref> Five Democratic senators maintained their support for Lieberman, and Lieberman also received the strong support of former senator and Democratic stalwart [[Bob Kerrey]], who offered to stump for him.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060813121543/http://thepoliticker.observer.com/2006/08/kerrey-for-lieberman.html Kerrey for Lieberman.]. Retrieved October 10, 2006.</ref> Democratic minority leader Harry Reid, while endorsing Lamont, promised Lieberman that he would retain his committee positions and seniority if he prevailed in the general election. On August 28, Lieberman campaigned at the same motorcycle rally as Republican Congressman [[Christopher Shays]].<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/09/nyregion/09independent.html?pagewanted=print&_r=0 As Outsider, Lieberman Walks a Tricky Path] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016123400/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/09/nyregion/09independent.html?pagewanted=print&_r=0 |date=October 16, 2015 }} New York Times September 9, 2006</ref> Shays told a crowd of motorcycle enthusiasts, "We have a national treasure in Joe Lieberman." [[Mel Sembler]], a former [[Republican National Committee]] finance chairman, helped organize a reception that raised a "couple hundred thousand dollars" for Lieberman, who was personally in attendance. Sembler is a prominent Republican who chaired [[I. Lewis Libby|I.&nbsp;Lewis 'Scooter' Libby]]'s legal defense fund.<ref>''[[Associated Press]]''. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070312050202/http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/09/21/america/NA_POL_US_Connecticut_Senate.php Top Republican co-hosted fundraiser for Lieberman.] ''[[International Herald Tribune]]''. September 21, 2006.</ref> New York Mayor [[Michael Bloomberg]] held a fundraiser for Lieberman at his home in November, co-hosted by former mayor [[Ed Koch]] and former Senator [[Alfonse M. D'Amato]].<ref>[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE6DF1031F93BA2575AC0A9609C8B63 In Connecticut Iraq Debate, Vague Policy Prescriptions] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170304040236/https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE6DF1031F93BA2575AC0A9609C8B63 |date=March 4, 2017 }} Medina, Jennifer. ''New York Times''. September 18, 2006. p. B3.</ref> Koch called Lieberman "one of the greatest Senators we've ever had in the Senate."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070713141434/http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=3&aid=63159 Lieberman Stumps In New York, With Koch By His Side.] NY1 News, October 3, 2006.</ref>

Despite still considering himself a Democrat, Lieberman was endorsed by numerous Republicans who actively spoke out in favor of his candidacy. Lieberman was also the focus of websites such as ConservativesforLieberman06.com.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://therightperspectivepodcastblog.blogspot.com/2006/11/liebermans-victory-analysis.html |title=The Right Perspective Podcast Blog |access-date=February 6, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080526001131/http://therightperspectivepodcastblog.blogspot.com/2006/11/liebermans-victory-analysis.html |archive-date=May 26, 2008}} The Right Perspective Podcast Blog, November 11, 2006.</ref> On November 7, Lieberman won re-election with 50% of the vote. [[Ned Lamont]] garnered 40% of ballots cast and [[Alan Schlesinger]] won 10%.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2006/pages/results/states/CT/S/01/index.html Joe Lieberman wins CT Senate race.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201213023444/http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2006/pages/results/states/CT/S/01/index.html |date=December 13, 2020 }}. Retrieved November 7, 2006.</ref> Lieberman received support from 33% of Democrats, 54% of independents and 70% of Republicans.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2006/pages/results/states/CT/S/01/epolls.0.html | publisher=[[CNN]] | title=CNN.com&nbsp;– Elections 2006 | access-date=May 6, 2010 | archive-date=January 29, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100129064315/http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2006/pages/results/states/CT/S/01/epolls.0.html | url-status=live }}</ref>