Lieberman won't run again

Sen. Joe Lieberman will announce Wednesday that he won't seek re-election in 2012, multiple sources close to the senator said on Tuesday.

Lieberman has scheduled a press conference for 12:30 Wednesday in Stamford to announce his plans.

The Lieberman announcement will come just a day after Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz announced her plans to run for his seat.

Lieberman, a registered Democrat who lost his party's primary in 2006 but won reelection running as an independent, has been tight-lipped about his future plans.

But the announcement of a press conference in his home city of Stamford triggered a wave of speculation that he might not run again, opening up a Connecticut Senate to newcomers for the second straight electoral cycle.

Bysiewicz, a Democrat, released a poll along with her announcement that showed her with a lead over Lieberman and Republican Linda McMahon in a potential general election match-up.

And few political advisers expected Lieberman to contend in a Democratic primary after his 2006 loss to newcomer Ned Lamont, his public departures from his party leadership on foreign policy and some fiscal policy, and his aggressive campaigning for Republican John McCain in 2008.