Today’s Hartford Courant editorializes in favor of the recently passed bill by the state senate that would require that there be special elections – and not appointments by the Governor – to fill Senate vacancies. This would be a great step forward for democracy in Connecticut and the legislation is a model that would surely be useful for other states. This year alone we’ve seen appointments fill vacancies in Illinois, New York, Delaware, and Colorado. Not having elected officials be replaced in an election is fundamentally flawed, as it introduces power politics to what should be the decision of the citizenry.

What makes this legislation especially important is that it realigns the political dynamic in Connecticut. Currently Jodi Rell is the state’s Republican governor, but there are huge Democratic majorities in the state senate and assembly, as well as a full Democratic House delegation, Democrat Chris Dodd and Connecticut for Lieberman Joh Lieberman (who now caucuses with Democrats). Lieberman has been talked of as a possible person who President Obama might consider for nomination to an ambassadorship or cabinet level position. While I wouldn’t necessarily like Lieberman in the cabinet, I’d be all in favor of him serving as ambassador to Israel or something similar.

In an email, quoted with permission, Charles Monaco (aka tparty of My Left Nutmeg) gives the rundown of what will likely happen to this legislation:

Rell will veto it, but if the override vote goes the same way as the original vote did, the senate vacancy bill has the votes for an override. And then perhaps Obama can appoint Lieberman Ambassador to Get The Fuck Out of the Senate.

I hear the Department of Complete Fucking Political Irrelevancy is a great place to work too.

Heh, indeedy.

…Adding, the numbers in the CT Senate are not certain for a veto override. The bill passed 21-12, but three Democrats missed the vote. It would depend on how those senators vote.