Senator Joseph Lieberman

Senator Joe Lieberman’s decision to run as an Independent sets up a lively campaign season for Connecticut voters. In the first General Election poll since Ned Lamont defeated Lieberman in the Connecticut primary, the incumbent is hanging on to a five percentage point lead. Lieberman earns support from 46% of Connecticut voters while Lamont is the choice of 41% (see crosstabs).

A month ago, the candidates were tied at 40% each.

Republican Alan Schlesinger earns just 6% of the vote, down from 13% a month ago.

Nationally, interest in the race has been strong among political junkies but modest among the general public. Most (57%) Americans have no opinion about Lamont. However, Democratic strategists may have cause for concern about perceptions of Lamont among independent and unaffiliated Americans.

In Connecticut, 57% of the state's voters view Lieberman as politically moderate while 51% see Lamont as liberal.

Half (52%) of Lamont voters believe Bush should be impeached and removed from office. Just 15% of Lieberman voters share that view.

Overall, 55% of Connecticut voters trust Lieberman more than Lamont when it comes to the War on Terror. Thirty-one percent (31%) trust Lamont.

Thirty-one percent (31%) have a Very Favorable opinion of Lieberman, 18% Very Unfavorable.

For Lamont, the numbers are 19% Very Favorable, 23% Very Unfavorable.

Lieberman still attracts 35% of votes from Democrats. Lamont will have to find a way to trim that number without alienating unaffiliated voters. Lieberman is viewed at least somewhat favorably by 65% of unaffiliated voters compared to 49% for Lamont.

The Connecticut Senate race is shaping up as one of the more interesting in the nation this year.  Five Republican Senators are either trailing or tied in their bid for re-election at this time (Santorum in Pennsylvania, DeWine in Ohio, Burns in Montana, Chafee in Rhode Island, and Talent in Missouri).

Crosstabs on the Connecticut survey are available for Premium Members only.

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Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports, has been an independent pollster for more than a decade.