Scozzafava Collapses, Republicans Refocus

New York Daily News ^

[wk4bush2004]

The events of the last 24 hours have pretty much clinched it: NY-23 is now officially a two-man race between the Democratic nominee Bill Owens and the Conservative Party upstart Doug Hoffman.

From NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions to former Gov. George Pataki to former Mayor Rudy Giuliani (through his operative, Jake Menges), Republicans are quickly abandoning their nominee, Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, and backing Hoffman in a last-ditch effort to keep former Rep. John McHugh's seat in GOP hands and, perhaps more importantly, deny the Obama administration a much-needed political victory.

"I think it’s now to a point where we’ve got to win the Republican seat; it’s not about liberal or conservative," said a GOP consultant. "It’s about if we don’t help (Hoffman) over the finish line, Owens is going to win."

"Dede’s out of it," the consultant continued. "The bottom has dropped out on her. She can’t win it. Looks like Sessions and the national Republicans are seeing that. It was a poor choice on Sessions' part to go with her in the first place."

Another Republican on the ground in NY-23 said the Republican rush to embrace Hoffman was motivated in no small part to yesterday's DailyKos poll that found him in a dead heat with Owens (33-32) with Scozzafava trailing badly at 21 percent.

The third and final Siena poll of the NY-23 race will be released Sunday morning. When Siena last weighed in on this race on Oct. 15, it found Owens leading by four percentage points with Scozzafava losing ground and Hoffman moving up fast.

The political world is scrambling to make sense of all this.

On The Fix, Chris Cillizza suggests that a Hoffman win - which seems to be more than just a possibility at this point - won't really be a victory for the GOP, although it will surely be spun that way, but proof of a growing anti-incumbent sentiment that should strike terror in the hearts of any pol seeking re-election in 2010.

Meanwhile, the DCCC has launched a new attack ad in an effort to halt Hoffman's rise.

[Luke21]

Democrats called 1994 an anti-incumbent year also.

[EternalVigilance]

When you’re halfway down a slippery slope you can’t save yourself, no matter how hard you try. An outside force must throw you a rope, or string up a safety net, if you’re going to keep from hitting the bottom.

Considering where the GOP is now, conservative Republicans may want to consider that when they think about conservative Independents.

Just could be that they are the only group that can help create the environment for it to be even possible for conservative Republicans to save their own party.

In fact, my belief is that this is exactly what is happening right now.

And so, my message to sincere conservative Republicans is: Grab the lifeline.

[Iscool]

This will be a great victory for Hoffman and conservatives by taking out Scuzzyfava and Gingrich in one blow.

And the GOP...

This will not be a GOP Victory...Hoffman is running against the GOP...They may as well pack up and go home...

[Saab-driving Yuppie]

DC Republicans believe what they see and hear on CNN, NPR, and over cocktails in Georgetown. So when the MSM dismissed them as meaningless and insignificant, paid off by the pharma folks, racists and kooks, the DC Republicans believed them.

[SoCalPol]

Wrong.

Doug Hoffman the other day again said, he is a Conservtive
Reagan Republican. He will caucus with the Republicans.

Your wishful thinking is making something out of what is not there.

Hoffman is a registered Republican.

[DirtyHarryY2K]

Listen up RINO’s McMaverick, Newt, Romney et all...

Get out of the way! The liberal Rinoparty is DOA
STAND DOWN!

[SoCalPol]

We Reubliicans are doing just fine.
We have Virginia locked up and a good chance at Democrat NJ

Shilling for your candidate who couldn’t even beat Obama in the U.S. Senate race speaks volumes
I think you need the life line.

[GnL]

But that district is overwhelmingly Republican. It’s hard to imagine Owens winning if Dede drops out. Do you think a Republican leaning district will vote for the Democrat in this environment? Unlikely. I think people are overestimating the number of Democrats supporting Scazzafaba (or whatever the hell her name is).

[DirtyHarryY2K]

To hell with the RINO party!

The RINO Party Alert.

Just say no to liberals, turncoats, and traitors!

We don't intend to turn the Republican Party over to the traitors in the battle just ended.
We will have no more of those candidates who are pledged to the same goals of our opposition and who seek our support. Turning the party over to the so-called moderates wouldn't make any sense at all. — President Ronald Wilson Reagan

---

NO! to on-demand abortion. NO! to homosexual marriage. NO! to amnesty for illegals. NO! to gun control. NO! to affirmative action.

NO! to more spending. NO! to more taxes. NO! to bailouts and pork. NO! to carbon credits. NO! Socialized Health Care.

---

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[Colonel_Flagg]

The political world is scrambling to make sense of all this.

I'll make it easy for them. Real conservatives win elections.

There. That wasn't so bad, was it?

[The Anti-One]

The political world is scrambling to make sense of all this.

Really? I guess that's why I'm not in politics. It's all pretty clear to me.

[EternalVigilance]

We Reubliicans are doing just fine.

Yes, we can see that you really have it all together.

[SoCalPol]

Try using a key board while getting up and down due to
herniated and degenerated disks from one end of your spine to the other

[londonfog]

Newt sucks. Either these republicans get these baby killing , illegal alien and pervert lovers out of the party or its bye bye birdie.That’s all.

[altair]

Actually, I think if she drops out, most of her votes would go to the Democrat.

That's not what folks were saying a few days ago.

[BAW]

Don’t get up, Scuzzy. Stay down for the count. An American patriot will soon be elected - his name is Doug Hoffman.

[Eagle Eye]

Shilling for your candidate who couldn’t even beat Obama in the U.S. Senate race speaks volumes I think you need the life line.

Shilling for your candidate who couldn’t even beat Obama in the U.S. Senate presidential race speaks volumes I think you need the life line.

Bragging about being a Republican is sorta like bragging that you tracked dog crap all over your mother in law's carpet.

[skr]

The author doesn’t want to admit that the people in that district might even be rejecting liberalism, along with incumbents. Hopefully, a trend begins.

[SoCalPol]

and posting like a smart ass is like bragging you never reached manhood

[Eagle Eye]

Awwww....faster than a speeding Liberal with the personal insults! LOL

GOP. The stupidest political party in world history.

GOP. Had House and Senate majorities AND the White House.

GOP senator undermines the majorities and eliminates the GOP advantage.

GOP then nominate said senator for the presidential candidate.

Said candidate is so weak that he can’t be a no name nobody senator with no resume.

GOP. Stupidity defined.

Considering how much contempt I have for those bragging about being GOPers I don’t really give a dam what you say.