Lieberman: I’m trying to be less political in 2010, focus on legislative agenda

Joe Lieberman says he wants to be less “political” in 2010.

The independent senator from Connecticut, who infuriated Democrats by backing Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) for president, told The Hill, “I’m trying to have a more governmental/legislative, less political year.”

{mosads}Lieberman this week said he is staying out of some of the Senate’s most hotly contested races this year, including Sen. Barbara Boxer’s (D-Calif.).

“Nobody’s asked me to get involved, and I have no intention of getting involved in that race,” Lieberman said. “I just have a lot to do here.”

He added that staying out of the campaign spotlight “will be a nice change. I don’t have any sort of yearning to get involved.”

Lieberman, a strong supporter of the Iraq war, did suggest he was somewhat torn on the California race. GOP candidate Carly Fiorina was a strategist on McCain’s presidential campaign. Lieberman, who said knew Fiorina before McCain’s 2008 bid, noted he has worked “pretty closely” with Boxer on environmental legislation.

Asked how he would respond if he were asked to get involved by either Boxer or Fiorina, Lieberman said he “would think about it.”

“But for now I’m just going to focus on climate change, Iran, and homeland security,” he said.

Boxer, who opposed the Iraq war, traveled to Connecticut in 2006 to rally for Lieberman in his primary against Ned Lamont.

At the time, she told voters, “[Lieberman] is a good Democrat, he is a good man, and he’ll do you proud.”

After Lamont won the primary, Boxer, like most Democrats, endorsed Lamont in the general election.

Boxer’s campaign did not return a phone call seeking comment.

Fiorina spokeswoman Julie Soderlund said, “Right now Carly is focused on introducing herself to as many California voters as possible. She respects Sen. Lieberman and looks forward to talking with him in the coming months.”

Fiorina is not the front-runner in the GOP primary. That distinction belongs to former GOP Rep. Tom Campbell, who was previously running for governor before focusing his sights on the upper chamber. A Jan. 27 poll by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) put Campbell at 27 percent, followed by 16 percent for Fiorina and 8 percent for former state Assemblyman Chuck DeVore of Orange County. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) has endorsed DeVore.

Recent polls show Boxer ahead of all three Republican candidates.

Over the last several years, Lieberman has made political donations to both sides of the aisle.

Since 2007, his political action committee contributed funds to Democratic Rep. Rob Andrews (N.J.), Democratic Sen. Max Baucus (Mont.), former Democratic Sen. Joe Biden (Del.), Republican Susan Collins (Maine), Democratic Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.), Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel (N.Y.), Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin (Iowa), Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson (S.D.), Republican Rep. Peter King (N.Y.), Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu (La.), former Democratic Rep. Nick Lampson (Texas), Democratic Sen. Carl Levin (Mich.),  Democratic Rep. John Lewis (Ga.), Democratic Rep. Jim Marshall (Ga.), McCain, Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor (Ark.), Democratic Sen. Jack Reed (R.I.), Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller (W.Va.), former Republican Sen. Gordon Smith (Ore.), Democratic Sen. Mark Udall (Colo.) and Democratic Sen. Mark Warner (Va.).

Lieberman made his comments to The Hill after a Senate press conference with a Democrat, Sen. Evan Bayh (Ind.), and two Republicans, Sens. Jon Kyl (Ariz.) and McCain.