Amid growing speculation that he will not seek re-election in 2012, U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman's office said Tuesday afternoon that the Democrat-turned-independent will announce his intentions in Stamford Wednesday.
"You can bet the farm" that Lieberman won't seek a fifth term in 2012, said a Democratic insider who is close to the 22-year Senate veteran. But neither Lieberman nor his Senate office would confirm that.
"U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT) will announce his plans for 2012 at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at the Marriott Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut.at 12:30 p.m.," went the cryptic e-mail advisory sent to the media by his Senate office at 1:35 p.m.
Lieberman's Senate press secretary, Erika Masonhall, wouldn't elaborate Tuesday on the upcoming announcement except to say: "After many thoughtful conversations with family and friends over the last several months, Senator Lieberman made a decision about his future over the holidays which he plans to announce on Wednesday."
The advisory that Lieberman will reveal his plans came on the same day as former secretary of the state Susan Bysiewicz's sudden announcement that she is seeking the Democratic nomination for Lieberman's seat.
The timing of Bysiewicz's Tuesday statement was the only surprise about it; she has been eyeing the nomination for the Senate seat for some time, but had said only last Friday that she wasn't planning anything right away with regard to running for the seat in 2012. "I don't have any immediate plans to do anything," she told a reporter for CTMirror.org last Friday.
She isn't the only Democrat interested in the nomination; many in that party expect U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy, D-5th District, to seek the seat. Murphy won re-election last November.