To independent-minded Democrats, today’s big presidential primary may feel like Stupor Tuesday. Both of the two leading candidates, Senators Kerry and Edwards, voted for the resolution to authorize force in Iraq, then opposed the $87 billion that troops need to defeat insurgents and rebuild the country. Both regularly denounce the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act, known as the USA-Patriot Act, which they also supported as legislation, and which provides law enforcement with critical tools to fight the war on terrorism here at home.

Both voted for the No Child Left Behind Act, the biggest package of federal school reforms in a generation, only to turn around and express profound misgivings about the bill’s implementation. Both rule out the boldest school reforms like school choice, designed to give poor children access to the kind of private education rich children enjoy. Both have sounded increasingly protectionist on trade. Erecting new trade barriers would do terrible damage to New York state, which sold $37 billion in goods to foreign markets in 2002. Both would prefer a more expansive Medicare prescription drug benefit to the entitlement passed by the Congress, even as they decry rising deficits.

Messrs. Kerry and Edwards may have some appeal to Democrats eager to defeat President Bush. That’s more than can be said about the other candidates still in the race — the Reverend Al Sharpton and Rep. Dennis Kucinich. Neither of them would have any chance of prevailing in a general election. Mr. Kucinich is more protectionist than either Messrs. Edwards or Kerry. Rev. Sharpton is more anti-war than either of them. Both Mr. Kucinich and Rev. Sharpton want to raise taxes more than either Messrs. Edwards or Kerry.

So what’s a discouraged Democrat to do? The New York Sun isn’t making an endorsement in the Democratic primary. But we don’t mind pointing out that because the ballot was made up way ahead of time — before some of the candidates dropped out — New York Democrats headed to the polls today have an option that would allow them to send a message about moving the party in a different direction than that of the Kerry-Edwards-Sharpton-Kucinich crowd. They could pull a lever for Senator Lieberman.

Mr. Lieberman, who exited the race following poor showings in New Hampshire and a series of February 3 primaries, stood alone in the Democratic field. He was clear and consistent in favor of the war in Iraq, education reform, and free trade. He favors tort reform. He’s been a solid friend of Israel, and, unlike Messrs. Kerry or Edwards, a leader in Congress on the issue. He did not hesitate to talk about the role of faith in public life. He spoke out of but one side of his mouth. While critics will complain that it was always the right-wing side, we believe that it, on all those questions, has been the right side.

A vote for Mr. Lieberman in today’s primary wouldn’t be a wasted one. The waste would be for the Democrats to send up against President Bush a candidate who would reverse the strides toward the center that the party made during the Clinton years on issues like trade and deficit reduction. Such a turnabout seems to be the direction in which the party is headed, and, among Democrats concerned about such a trend, a protest vote would be entirely appropriate.