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Bloggers at the Gates

For 18 years, Joseph Lieberman has represented the State of Connecticut in the U.S. Senate, gaining seniority and becoming popular enough in his state and party to be nominated for the Vice Presidency in 2000. However, due to his perceived closeness to President George W. Bush and his support for the war in Iraq, Lieberman faced an unexpected challenge in the Democratic Primary and ultimately lost the party's nomination to political upstart Ned Lamont. A multimillionaire who could finance his own campaign, Lamont was aided in his insurgency by a host of bloggers in Connecticut and across the nation who took it as their mission to defeat Lieberman. This article will examine the role bloggers played in Ned Lamont's primary campaign as sources of financial support, logistical assistance, and as a place for like-minded individuals to find a community to support his candidacy. In this way, blogs became a “virtual political party” for Lamont who was able to create a support system for his candidacy when the entire Democratic establishment was backing Lieberman. This campaign could provide a template for future candidates challenging party establishments and demonstrates that many of the traditional party functions can be replaced by the Internet.