Is Joe Lieberman a Republican?

If there is one race to watch this summer -- and likely well into the fall as well -- just for pure entertainment, it is the Connecticut Senate race, where Joe Lieberman is defending his seat against a surging primary opponent, Ned Lamont. Lieberman, already one of the party's more conservative members and hawkish on Iraq, has faced increasing scorn from the left wing -- especially bloggers -- who question his loyalty and ties to the president. Now, Lieberman is hedging his bets by gathering signatures that would allow him to run unafilliated in the November general election if he should lose the Democratic primary Aug. 8.

Read more from The Washington Post.

The question some Democrats, including me, have asked for a while is whether Lieberman is really a Republican. He votes with the conservatives often, and he is known famously for his public scolding of President Clinton on the Senate floor over the Monica Lewinsky affair. That moral authority and middle ground led to his selection as vice presidential nominee in 2000, but he could not pull in enough votes to ensure a victory for the Dems. In the six years since, he has been outspoken in his support for the war, nodding in unison with the White House. Lieberman said that if he is re-elected, he would continue as a Democrat and would remain in the caucus. Good news, I guess, for attempts to regain a majority.

However, it appears increasingly unlikely that Democrats will regain control of the Senate in November. They must retain all of their 18 seats up for election this year and overturn six of the 15 Republican seats up for grabs. They might make a few gains, perhaps in Rhode Island, Montana, Tennessee, Ohio or Pennsylvania, but odds are they'll lose at least one incumbent seat, perhaps in New Jersey or, sadly, Washington. The Washington Post has some great interactive analytical maps that I plan to peruse in between pool time on my vacation this week.

-- Peoria, Ariz.