Reuters
Friday, November 10, 2006

U.S. Senate Democrats have begun to re-embrace Joseph Lieberman and seem ready to give the former Democrat turned independent a chairmanship in the new Congress that convenes in January, party aides said on Thursday.

Lieberman won reelection to a fourth Senate term on Tuesday, running as an independent in Connecticut following his loss in a Democratic primary to anti-war activist Ned Lamont.

Many Senate Democrats respected the outcome of the primary and backed Lamont in the general election. But many also said they still consider Lieberman a friend and a Democrat.

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, set to become majority leader of the new Democratic-led Senate, "talked to Lieberman on Wednesday and told the senator he expects him to be the next chairman of the committee" on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, said Reid spokesman Jim Manley.

Lieberman has said he will caucus with Democrats.

After winning control of the Senate from Republicans, Democrats plan to select committee chairs as early as next week. Lieberman had been the senior Democrat on the Homeland Security committee.

He and Republican Susan Collins of Maine, the outgoing chair, had run one of the most bipartisan panels in Congress.