Kerry to Campaign for Lamont in Conn.

U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., presents his new 10 point plan for Iraq to supporters at VFW Post 5095 in East Hampton, Conn., Monday, Sept. 25, 2006. Lieberman was critical of his Democratic challenger, Ned Lamont's, strategy on Iraq, saying that to set a timeline to leave that country could leave the U.S. more vulnerable to terrorism. (AP Photo/Fred Beckham) (Fred Beckham - AP)

WASHINGTON -- Sen. John Kerry is ready to join an exclusive club: prominent Democrats shunning three-term Sen. Joe Lieberman to campaign in Connecticut for his anti-war rival Ned Lamont.

The Massachusetts senator, the party's 2004 presidential nominee, plans to travel to the state Oct. 25 for Lamont. Kerry's running mate, former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, appeared at a Lamont rally last month.

Other top Democrats, however, have tacitly backed Lamont, who seized the Democratic nomination from Lieberman in last month's primary, but have avoided public displays of support. The rationale is simple: Lieberman is running as an independent and has a good shot of winning another term; a statewide poll released Thursday showed him up by 10 percentage points.

Democrats want to stay in Lieberman's good graces to ensure that he remains on their side.

"The Senate is a club," said veteran Democratic strategist Dan Payne. "Once a club member, always a club member. And one club member doesn't generally campaign against another club member."

Kerry and Edwards are potential 2008 White House candidates whose campaigning for Lamont could pay dividends among the liberal voters who tend to dominate Democratic presidential primaries.

Kerry has scolded Lieberman, the 2000 Democratic vice presidential nominee, over his staunch support for the Iraq war and for echoing Vice President Dick Cheney.

Leading Democrats have lined up behind their nominee Lamont, but they have also been reluctant to alienate Lieberman, who has served 18 years in the Senate. Democrats greeted Lieberman with applause when he returned to the Senate a few weeks ago _ even as they vowed to fully support Lamont.

It is a delicate dance for Democrats eager to shatter the GOP's lock on Congress.

If Democrats can gain six seats this fall and Lieberman wins, the party will need him to recapture control of the Senate.

"Democrats know it is a win-win situation for them, either way," Payne said.

Lieberman has vowed to remain a Democrat if he wins a fourth term. He expects to retain his seniority and committee seats and, if the Democrats take control, he is in line to become chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, a key panel which deals with issues such as terrorism.