Lieberman getting late push from Bloomberg

HARTFORD, Conn. – If Sen. Joe Lieberman wins a fourth term on Nov. 7, it’s a safe bet New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg will be high on his thank-you list.

Bloomberg, a Republican who shares Lieberman’s independent streak, is playing a prominent role helping raise money for the Democratic senator, the Lieberman campaign said Saturday.

The mayor has also dispatched several campaign operatives to Connecticut to help Lieberman reach GOP and independent voters as the race closes. Lieberman is running as an independent after losing to wealthy businessman Ned Lamont in the Democratic primary.

Bloomberg appeared at a major fundraising event for Lieberman recently. He will campaign with Lieberman on Monday in Stamford, greeting commuters and formally endorsing him. Bloomberg will also host a fundraiser next week at his home, Gerstein said.

Bloomberg operatives are helping to build Lieberman’s get-out-the-vote effort, which is targeting a mix of Democratic, Republican and independent supporters.

Because of Lieberman’s independent status, he cannot rely on his party’s organization to help him identify voters and get them to the polls.

“We’re leveraging the very relevant experience of the Bloomberg operation to help us in what can charitably be described as a unique situation,” Lieberman spokesman Dan Gerstein said.

Lamont has put more than $14 million of his own money into his campaign, including a $2 million loan he made to the campaign on Friday, his campaign confirmed.