Lieberman wins as independent in Conn.

HARTFORD, Conn., Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Sen. Joseph Lieberman, running as an independent Tuesday, defeated Ned Lamont, who beat him in the Connecticut Democratic primary.

Lieberman declared victory in front of an enthusiastic crowd of supporters, saying that voters chose "problem solving over partisanship and the mainstream over the extreme," Greenwich Time reported.

The Republican candidate, Alan Schlesinger, was barely a factor in a race that pitted a moderate Democrat who has supported President George W. Bush's Iraq policy in many ways against a strongly anti-war Democrat.

Lamont, a descendent of Morgan partner and philanthropist Thomas Lamont and a high-tech entrepreneur in his own right, poured millions of dollars of his own money into his campaign.

Lieberman, who launched his independent candidacy even before the primary, has said he will caucus with Democrats if he is returned to the Senate. He also said he has been promised that he will keep his committee assignments and seniority.