(Politico.com) The Connecticut senator and Democratic exile hasn't made up his mind whether to seek a fifth term, Lieberman and those close to him say. But if he does, the GOP ticket appears to offer his best shot at reelection.
One reason is that the ballot line for the Connecticut for Lieberman party, the vehicle he used in 2006, is no longer available to him.
Indeed, a Public Policy Polling survey conducted in late October put Lieberman's approval rating at a rock-bottom 33 percent. Lieberman had the support of just 24 percent of Democrats and 34 percent of independents. His best numbers were among Republicans, 48 percent of whom gave him a thumbs-up.
Lieberman recently told POLITICO he hasn’t yet decided whether to retire or run as an independent, a Democrat or a Republican. “All those options are still alive,” he said.
In the PPP poll, Lieberman failed to crack 20 percent of the vote in hypothetical three-way matchups that pitted him as an independent against both a Democrat and a Republican. His best showing was in a one-on-one race against Democratic Rep. Chris Murphy, though Lieberman was still described as an independent in the survey. The result: Murphy 47, Lieberman 33, with 20 percent undecided.
The Republican option for Lieberman was the only one Droney didn't dismiss out of hand, saying, "He has a lot of friends on the Republican side of the aisle."
Joe Lieberman better decide very soon whether or not to run in 2012 because he needs to raise money for his re-election. Hoping that Lieberman has seen the conservative light is highly unlikely, but the key word is "HOPE." Many Republicans are wondering if Lieberman may be a like that famous Democrat, who spoke at the Republican convention, Zell Miller. Taking Obama's campaign slogan, we will accept "Hope and Change" with Joe Lieberman.
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