(crossposted at Attack of the Machine Elves)
Joe Lieberman may not have suffered any real consequences as a result of his decision to abandon the Democratic Party, but it seems that he might at least suffer a little public humiliation as a result of his decision to abandon the party that he created in order to stay on the ballot in 2006. In a rich bit of irony, Independent Political Report and Ballot Access News are reporting that anti-Lieberman activist John Mertens was nominated by the Connecticut For Lieberman Party to serve as its nominee for the upcoming Senate race this November to fill the seat of retiring Senator Chris Dodd. Mertens won the nomination as the result of a party caucus held on Wednesday.
The CFL is ballot-qualified for the 2010 Senate election and will keep its line on the ballot as long as Mertens polls at least 1% in the general election, meaning that the party would still be on the ballot when Lieberman faces voters again in 2012, this time as the candidate for the Lieberman for Connecticut Party, or Lieberman for Lieberman Party, or whatever name he comes up with this time around. I don't see Mertens winning the election, but I have a feeling he'll at least come up with enough votes to keep the CFL on the ballot so it can continue to be a launching pad for ridicule directed at the man who created it.