U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman has decided not to seek a fifth term in 2012, after seeing his popularity drop in polls in recent years, political insiders and a Lieberman aide said Tuesday -- and those sources say that the Democrat-turned-independent will make it official at a press conference Wednesday in Stamford.
Lieberman's Senate press secretary, Erika Masonhall, would not say Tuesday what Lieberman's decision will be, issuing a statement saying only: "After many thoughtful conversations with family and friends over the last several months, Sen. Lieberman made a decision about his future over the holidays, which he plans to announce on Wednesday."
However, "you can bet the farm" that Lieberman won't run again, said a Democratic insider who is close to the 22-year Senate veteran.
And Tuesday night, a Lieberman aide who talked on condition of anonymity confirmed that "the senator will announce tomorrow that he will not seek re-election in 2012.
The aide added: "He recognizes that it would be a tough fight...[but so has] nearly every election he's had...[and] he is fully confident he could have won re-election. He will quote Ecclesiastes - the passage 'To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under Heaven.' So, after what will be 24 years in the Senate, and 40 years in public life, he believes that it is time for a new season and new purpose under Heaven for him."
"He plans to spend the next two years focused on his work in the Senate. This decision frees him to be an honest broker between Democrats and Republicans, and to continue to do what he always does, which is to be a bipartisan bridge builder, and work across party lines, to put principle before partisanship," the aide said. "He has a long record of getting things done for Connecticut and the country, and he is looking forward to having the freedom to do that in the next two years."
Those comments went well beyond a cryptic e-mail sent to the media by Lieberman's Senate office at 1:35 p.m. Tuesday. The e-mail said that Lieberman, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, "will announce his plans for 2012 at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at the Marriott Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut."