U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye has backed away from his support of Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman in his controversial run for re-election as an independent.

Inouye drew criticism in the local Democratic Party when he said he would continue backing Lieberman even after he lost the Aug. 15 Democratic primary in Connecticut to Ned Lamont.

Party rules require loyalty to the Democratic nominee, and several Hawai'i Democrats have faced disciplinary action in the past for backing third-party candidates over the party's choice.

Inouye initially said that he'd support Lieberman as an independent because he was concerned about the single-issue focus on the war in Iraq that turned primary voters against Lieberman, who is strongly aligned with President Bush on the war.

But Hawai'i's senior senator said he was disappointed when Lieberman made a speech "very critical of the Democratic Party."

"I told some of my friends after he gave his speech saying the party isn't the party he knew that he doesn't get my support," Inouye said in an interview.

He said he hasn't communicated with either Lieberman or Lamont, "but if people ask I'll tell them I back Lamont."

Inouye said he doesn't expect any of the $300,000 he donated to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to be spent in the Connecticut general election.

Hawai'i Rep. Ed Case, who is challenging Sen. Daniel Akaka in the Democratic primary, also announced he would support Lieberman as an independent, and has given no indication that he's joined Inouye in changing his mind.

Akaka supported Lieberman in the primary, but switched to Lamont after he became the Democratic nominee.