An opinion poll today backs up suggestions that pro-war Democrat Joe Lieberman's loss of the party senatorial candidacy last night is a sign that popular opposition to the Bush administration's foreign policy is on the increase.
The CNN poll shows 60 per cent of Americans oppose the war in Iraq and a majority would support a partial withdrawal of troops by year's end. It is the highest figure recorded by Opinion Research on behalf of CNN since the invasion in March 2003.
US Senator Joseph Lieberman cheers while conceding the Democratic primary election to challenger Ned Lamont and announcing that he will run as an independent candidate in front of a crowd of supporters last night.
The poll showed 36 per cent of respondents said in favour of the war - half the peak 72 per cent in 2003.
Voter anger over the violence in Iraq which is claiming a high civilian death toll was blamed for Senator Joe Lieberman's loss in the Connecticut Democratic primary defeat yesterday.
Mr Lieberman, who was vice presidential candidate to Al Gore in 2000, strongly backed President George W Bush's war effort.
But when challenged for the safe Democratic seat by Ned Lamont, he was roundly beaten, in what is regarded as the nation's first major test of sentiment over the Iraq war ahead of mid-term elections in November.
Mr Lieberman immediately announced his intention to run his run as independent in elections that could see the Democrats reclaim power in the Senate and establish stronger opposition to the Bush administration.
"Of course I am disappointed by the results, but I am not discouraged. For the sake of our state, our country and my party, I cannot and will not let that result stand," Mr Lieberman said.
Democrat leaders say they will try to persuade Mr Lieberman not to run in November - before Lieberman's camp formally files a petition to run as an independent, due by this afternoon.
Mr Lamont, a millionaire with virtually no political experience ran on an anti-war campaign which included use of images of a kiss President Bush planted on Mr Lieberman's cheek after the 2005 State of the Union address.
Mr Lieberman's rejection was a stunning defeat for a veteran politician who held his Senate seat for 17 years. Yesterday's result made him only the fourth incumbent senator to lose a primary since 1980.
"Tonight we voted for big change," a jubilant Mr Lamont told supporters after his win 52 per cent to 48 per cent.
Lamont supporters predicted victory in November. "People are going to look back and say the Bush years started to end in Connecticut," said Avi Green, a volunteer from Boston.
"The Republicans are going to look at tonight and realise there's blood in the water."
The outcome was also seen as a rebuke from Democratic voters who are demanding that their party's politicians more forcefully challenge President Bush on Iraq and other issues.
Writing in the New York Times today, commentator Adam Nagourney said Mr Lieberman's defeat "was a vivid demonstration of how the Iraq war is buffeting American politics and of the deep hostility toward President Bush".
Academics were quoted liberally in the US media saying Mr Lieberman's war stance had cost him the nomination and it would remain the key issue in the mid-terms. However, many said the vote also showed the left was resurgent in the party - usually an electoral liability for the Democrats.
Marshall Wittman of the centrist Democratic Leadership Council, and Lieberman supporter said: "Had it not been for the involvement of the Democratic left, the party would be fairly united going into midterm elections.
"The Lamont campaign can be potentially devastating to the party, not in 2006, but in 2008. At a time of horrific news for the Republican Party, this is the only silver lining they have right now."
