John Mertens says he doesn't want to be a career politician. He's not a Democrat or a Republican, but he is running for U.S. Senate.
The Trinity College professor of engineering and West Hartford resident will publicly announce his candidacy for the seat held by U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd on Wednesday, Sept. 9.
"I know I'm a huge underdog" Mertens told the the Hartford Courant.
Mertens is seeking the nominations of four political parties: the Independent Party, the Green Party, the Libertarian Party and the Connecticut for Lieberman Party (Mertens has been chairman of that party since March 2008).
Connecticut for Lieberman was launched by U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman after he lost the Democratic primary to Ned Lamont in 2006. But Lieberman walked away as soon as he won re-election, allowing his fiercest critics to seize control of the party that bears his name.
Now, some of those very same activists are angry at Mertens, afraid he'll be the spoiler.
The goal was always "to use the party to hold Joseph Lieberman accountable, and it's vital that it remains in existence until Lieberman runs again," activist Sue Henshaw told the Courant. "To use the Connecticut for Lieberman Party for any other purpose than its mission diminishes both the politician and the party."
State election rules stipulate that the party must garner at least 1 percent of the vote in the 2010 Senate race if it hopes to preserve its place on the 2012 ballot.
Local
Merten said he fully expects to receive more than 1 percent of the vote, thus ensuring ballot access for 2012.
He and teaches environmental science and public policy, and conducts research in combustion and air pollution, according to his blog.
