Maybe the GOP is listening to us after all. After supporting liberal Republican Dede Scozzafava in New York’s 23 district Congressional race things have now changed. The RNC backs Doug Hoffman now after Scozzafava dropped from the race just hours ago.
RNC Chairman Michael Steele says that Scozzafava’s “selfless act” has paved the way for the RNC to back Hoffman. Doug Hoffman, running as a Conservative Party candidate, has been endorsed by Sarah Palin and is the preferred candidate for conservatives who felt like their party (Republican) had turned a blind eye towards them.
Dede Scozzafava referenced a Siena poll which shows a dead heat between Doug Hoffman and Democrat Bill Owens; Scozzafava acknowledged that she was too far behind to win. The New York assemblywoman released her supporters as well to back whomever they choose. Scozzafava however did not endorse Hoffman herself.
In a twist of irony, the special election in New York 23 is only happening because of the fact that President Obama named Rep. John McHugh Secretary of the Army. Obama stands to be the biggest loser in the New York 23 race. Many, including myself, look at the Congressional race in New York as a referendum on liberal Obama and democrat policies moving through the Congress right now.
The RNC has garnered much criticism lately for backing the liberal Scozzafava and even going as far as running ads against Doug Hoffman. RNC Chairman Steele says that as the RNC backs Doug Hoffman it will be more than a verbal endorsement. It will include the all important financial backing of the RNC and get out the vote efforts as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
If you’re a tea party member, a town hall protester or just a conservative who felt like the “establishment” wasn’t listening, have faith. The fact that the RNC backs Doug Hoffman now is proof positive that our collective voice is being heard. Sometimes it just takes awhile for it to be acknowledged.
October 31st, 2009 at 11:36 am
yeah, a real tough call after dede drops out.
October 31st, 2009 at 11:41 am
“Many, including myself, look at the Congressional race in New York as a referendum on liberal Obama…”
More importantly Shannon, this race is a referendum on the Republican’s commitment to it’s conservative base.
The RNC contributed over 100K to Dede Scozzafava’s campaign and had I contributed to the RNC I would have been furious. I wrote a check to Hoffman instead of the RNC and I’m sure that many other conservatives did the same.
Michael Steele better figure out a way to include the conservative base into his vision of the Republican Party or I can see many more elections where the Republican candidates languish behind the third party conservatives.
October 31st, 2009 at 11:53 am
actually you guys should be very happy.
it was a fairly good bet that the dems were going to win in nj and in ny 23 which would have caused the spin to be
“dems win 2 out of 3. obama’s agenda is supported by the people”
now the reps have a very good chance of going 2 out of 3.
if you win nj too, which i think is not very possible, obama will be in real trouble passing obamacare. the blue dogs will be scared.
October 31st, 2009 at 12:02 pm
I’m happy lisab, but disappointed that the RNC would back a candidate that was more liberal than the democrat.
Conservative pushback is the only reason we’re in the position we’re in. No thanks to Michael Steele and the RNC.
October 31st, 2009 at 2:12 pm
I don’t think the current RNC chairmen is really getting respected on the job by members of the party, nor has the gravitas to really influence much of anything, so I don’t even get why he is there other than some imaginary counterweight to Obama. Dean is pretty believable a figure in his own right and can speak candidly about issues so he fits fairly well for the Dems. Frankly McCain is one of the few repubs who seems to be well informed enough and with a sense of balance to speak coherently on issues and have some gravitas.
October 31st, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Ain’t Hoffman the one who was a member of the Taliban during the 1980s? Or his friends were? Or something like that?
October 31st, 2009 at 5:25 pm
Klo,
Real insightful.
Geez.
Frank
October 31st, 2009 at 6:54 pm
6- no
October 31st, 2009 at 6:55 pm
my understanding is that the ny gop selected dede.
October 31st, 2009 at 6:55 pm
M Steele has made many blunders including attacking Rush.
October 31st, 2009 at 8:32 pm
imo, this is the goofiest thing I can remember since the mcgovern/carter debacle death wish by the dems.
Let me explain, or try to. What makes our system of elections exciting is that legislators are chosen locally. Because of this, we expect the winning candidate in a 2 candidate election to be the one closer to the median voter, since voters are aggregated in a normal curve. Therefore, both parties have an incentive to choose candidates sort of resembling the mid-range, not at the extreme, the way interest groups congregate. So we would expect legislators from the northeast and midwest to differ considerably from those in the deep south.
I lived in this district and right next to it (oswego, fair haven, and fulton) for 4 years in the 1990s. People there are nothing like people in the deep south, where we reside currently. People value education and hard work, not getting something for nothing. That’s why we were represented by moderate republicans, not firebrands.
Well, I assume we’ll win this race. I also assume that the party will end up choosing a bunch of candidates in 010 who will likewise win, since the electorate will be small. We’ll end up with 35-40 congressmen from moderate areas who want to eliminate government spending except for pork, which they’ll fight tooth and nail for. Then, in 012, we’ll have our (fill in the blank) handed to us…and what will we be left with? A bunch of interest group leaders and talk show hosts telling us how it’s better to be right than to win, since most people are idiots…
October 31st, 2009 at 9:25 pm
Good let true conservatives run the house and senate. The worst thing of all are liberal conservatives. They give you tax cuts yes, but they expand government and spending!!!!!!!!!!! We don’t need this in the US we don’t liberal republicans who will explode are deficit. Ron Paul said it in the CNN youtube debate. He said he’s for cutting taxes and he wants to do it more than anyone else, but you have to cut spending first. We need both a balanced budget amendment and the Fair Tax.
October 31st, 2009 at 9:36 pm
xharles, have you ever lived in the deep south? The motto for both parties is ’somethin for nothin’. I live in la and really like jindal a lot, but now he’s running around the state bragging about how many stimulus dollars he’s spending. He’s smart enough to know this is goofy, but he wants to be the veep candidate in 12.
When bho came to nola, pols from la and ms were waiting in line to beg for money. In the meantime la has cut the state budget by over 10% a year for colleges, while he’s throwing buckets of money at chicken processing plants to locate here.
October 31st, 2009 at 9:54 pm
Brian, you’re an idiot!!! Buy a bigger light bulb.
October 31st, 2009 at 10:05 pm
I said r*cism in a positive light!!
October 31st, 2009 at 10:07 pm
So if I keep using the word “R*cism” you’ll keep moderating me???
October 31st, 2009 at 10:12 pm
Has anybody besides me noticed that Michael Steele’s ability to run the RNC has been questioned without anybody accusing us of being r*cially challenged?
Mmm Mmm Mmm!!!
October 31st, 2009 at 10:19 pm
I use green saver low wattage Light Bulbs and I see everything just fine.
October 31st, 2009 at 10:30 pm
I’m sure you own a pair of hip waders also!
October 31st, 2009 at 10:34 pm
I believe you mean some of L.L. Bean’s fine outdoorsmen products. but no need here. I just say it as it is and in the process protect the field of science and liberal arts.
October 31st, 2009 at 10:38 pm
I’m in the middle of a dream but woke up to pee… dream has lots of animals…no flyingmonkeys yet…
October 31st, 2009 at 10:52 pm
But what will you do when the oceans rise Brian? I’m sure Al would be disappointed when his L.L. Bean stock doesn’t rise with the tids.
October 31st, 2009 at 10:57 pm
sorry al isn’t in my vocabulary. but I have noticed its getting a lot warmer and the weather weirder and the birds are all different at the strangest times of the year so some kind of change is going on. I don’t know about his stock, but I do notice L.L. Bean has a lot of decent prices on its clothing and it looks quality and conservative sharp too.
October 31st, 2009 at 11:07 pm
“…and the birds are all different at the strangest times of the year…”
Do you mean that the sparrows look like robins and the robins look like blue jays? Perhaps you should buy a bird book.
October 31st, 2009 at 11:08 pm
I don’t see conservative sharp working for you.
I figured bandana, field jacket and tie-dye would be up your alley.