Washington ? Sen. Joe Lieberman, facing a major challenge in Connecticut’s Democratic primary because of his support for the war in Iraq, decided Monday to hedge his bets on his political future.

He announced that if he loses his party’s Aug. 8 primary, he will seek to run as an independent in the November general election.

“I am a loyal Democrat,” the 2000 Democratic vice-presidential nominee, told CNN. “But I have a loyalty higher than that to my party, that is to my state and my country.”

He added, “I’m essentially taking out an insurance policy.”

Lieberman’s move underscored the threat posed to his re-nomination by anti-war candidate Ned LaMont, a businessman. Once given little chance of defeating the incumbent, LaMont has gained momentum by hammering away at Lieberman’s staunch backing of President Bush’s “stay the course” policy in Iraq.

Lieberman has given no ground – during the Senate’s recent consideration of two Democratic-sponsored measures pushing for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, he opened the debate for those opposing the proposals. His stance has aggravated many liberals – and intensified support for LaMont – in a state where polls show discontent with the Iraq war runs high.

A LaMont victory in the primary and a subsequent Lieberman independent candidacy presumably would improve the chances that the little-known Republican Senate candidate, Alan Schlesinger, could score an upset in November. And a GOP takeover of Lieberman’s seat would deal a grievous blow to Democratic hopes of winning control of the Senate.

Lieberman, a centrist first elected to the Senate in 1988, insisted that he was committed to winning the primary.

But, speaking in Hartford, Conn., during a congressional recess, he said, “While I believe that I will win the Aug. 8 primary, I know that there are no guarantees in elections.”