Oh Oh - Bad Sign

Ned Lamont is probably in severe trouble right now. Taegan Goddard's Political Wire is essentially writing him off (guest commentary by Kevin Rennie from the Hartford Courant).

Democrats around Connecticut and in DC are concluding that Lamont has gone in two months since his primary victory from triumphant insurgent to stymied novice. His campaign was largely somnolent for the five weeks after the August 8th primary. Lamont ignored whatever opportunities they were for a bounce after he shook Connecticut and the nation’s political class with his 4 point victory on a record turnout.

Lamont’s busiest activity since August has been writing fat checks to his campaign. He’s chugging toward $7 million. National Democrats, who were expected to close ranks around Lamont and send him some dough, have gone AWOL. Senator Chris Dodd, crucial in breathing some life into Lieberman’s campaign late in the primary battle, has not been much in evidence.

John Edwards, Ted Kennedy, and Wesley Clark are the best Lamont has mustered onto to the trail for him so far. People are wondering where the Clintons are. Their absence is a sure sign that Lamont is not seen as a winner. Hillary Clinton appeared in Fairfield County on Friday, October 6th, but there’s no word on returning for Lamont.

Lamont has been able to explain that he started the primary campaign 60 points behind. But that was in January. More is expected of a Democratic nominee in blue Connecticut. Polls of other candidates around the state continue to leek and they agree on one thing: Lieberman has a lead that is moving from comfortable to commanding.

This was always a bad strategic decision. The national party will not fund an internecine battle to unseat a Democrat when they are running competitively in some other Senate districts. I've been seeing less and less buzz about Lamont both in the media and in the blogosphere. The writing is on the wall in this one, I think.