Guide Note:
Joe Lieberman is the junior U.S. Senator from Connecticut and is currently serving his fourth term in the position. In 2000, Lieberman ran as the Democratic candidate for Vice-President alongside Al Gore. In 2006, in his re-election campaign for Senator, Lieberman lost the Democratic primary bid to Ned Lamont, but ran as an Independent in the general election and won.
Fast Facts:
- Born: February 24, 1942
- Birthplace: Stamford, Connecticut
- Alma Mater: Yale University
- Law School: Yale University
- Spouse: Hadassah Lieberman
- Party: Independent
- Assumed office: January 3, 1989
- Senior Senator from Connecticut: Christopher Dodd
Early Political Career
After graduating from Yale University Law School in 1967, Lieberman worked for a New Haven law firm. In 1982, he ran for Attorney General of Connecticut in his first major political campaign and won, serving in that position until his election to the Senate in 1989. His victory in the 1988 Senate race was a surprise, as he defeated moderate three-term incumbent Republican Senator Lowell Weicker.
National Political Ambitions
In 2000, Democratic Presidential candidate Al Gore selected Lieberman to be his running mate. During the campaign, Lieberman staged a simultaneous re-election campaign for Senator, which he won, despite losing his bid to become Vice-President. In 2004, Lieberman ran for the Democratic nomination but dropped out in February. Lieberman attributed his loss in the primaries to his support for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Up for re-election in 2006, Lieberman faced a strong challenge from anti-war candidate Ned Lamont. After Lamont won the nomination, Lieberman ran as an Independent. Lieberman is currently the Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in the Senate.
Related Pages on Mahalo
U.S. Senate | Democratic Party | Al Gore | George W. Bush | Bill Clinton | Hillary Rodham Clinton | Dick Cheney | Howard Dean | Lieberman Endorses McCain | McCain Lieberman
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