Free Republic

Washington -- A year ago, Doug Hoffman could do no wrong in the eyes of conservative Republicans, who viewed the political newcomer as a rising star, the darling of the tea party movement. As a third-party candidate seeking an open seat in the 23rd Congressional District, his anti-Washington message resonated from Upstate New York across the nation. A conservative group honored him in Washington with its Charlton Heston “Courage Under Fire” award. He fell just 3,600 votes short of an upset win against both major political parties. But as the millionaire accountant from Saranac Lake makes his second bid...

Doug Hoffman picks up 20 votes so far in 23rd Congressional District recanvass By Mark Weiner / The Post-Standard November 17, 2009, 7:25PM Washington, D.c. -- Conservative candidate Doug Hoffman picked up a net gain of 20 votes Tuesday — far from what he needs to win — as the count of absentee ballots began in the 23rd Congressional District. Hoffman received the tiny boost after Madison, Oneida and Hamilton counties said they finished counting their absentee ballots Tuesday. The majority of the sprawling district – eight other counties – will finish the process this week. But if early...

It is being reported today that Dede Scozzafava is endorsing Democrat Bill Owens. In one fell swoop she proved her detractors right. Her actions also speak to the Republicans that made excuses for her such as Newt Gingrich; they were dead wrong. When Dede withdrew from the race on Saturday, many (including me) thought she was doing the right thing for Northern New York, and the Republican Party. Instead we have been presented with the quintessential example of what the label RINO means. "Scozzafava dropped out after Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman experienced a late-in-the-game surge. The move was expected...

New York's 23rd Congressional District has become the site of a showdown between RINOs (Republicans In Name Only) and conservatives. The conservatives are winning -- but the RINOs are not being gracious in defeat. Now the RINOs are showing how much party unity means to them. They have no loyalty to conservatives; why should conservatives have any loyalty to them? The latest showdown came when ultra-liberal State Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava became the Republican candidate in that district. The ACORN racketeering arm, the Working Families Party, backed her. Yet the Republican old guard backed this useful idiot. Newt Gingrich backed this...

A week and a half ago, Conservative Douglas L. Hoffman was appearing on a nationally syndicated conservative talk show while Democrat William L. Owens was in New York City, attending a fundraiser with...Obama. "I was in a dairy barn that night," said Republican Dierdre K. Scozzafava. "I was talking to a constituent about the dairy crisis." "It struck me at the time that there was a little irony in it. Our congressional race had become a referendum on issues far from here," Ms. Scozzafava said...after announcing earlier in the day that she was suspending her congressional campaign. "Our area had...

THE hard-fought battle be tween the left, the near-left and the right being waged in New York's 23rd Congressional District has attracted national attention because of its serious implications for scores of congressional races across the country next year. The stakes for national Democrats and Republicans are enormous. The three-way North Country contest is a referendum on President Obama's policies and on the GOP's willingness to back RINO (Republican In Name Only) candidates in traditionally moderate-to-conservative districts. The stakes for New York's own hapless GOP -- moribund, disillusioned and virtually leaderless as it is -- mirror those for national Republicans,...

Sarah Palin's decision late last week to endorse the Conservative Party candidate over the Republican nominee in a special U.S. House election in Upstate New York is the latest example that the former Alaska governor's allegiance is to her conservative principles rather than the party's edicts. "Republicans and conservatives around the country are sending an important message to the Republican establishment in their outstanding grassroots support for Doug Hoffman: no more politics as usual," Palin wrote on her Facebook page. She also cited President Ronald Reagan's belief that "blurring the lines" is not the way to rebuild the party and...

Is the National Rifle Association ashamed of its own endorsement, or are the media lying to us once again? I was stunned to read that the N.R.A. endorsed pro-gay, pro-abortion, climate alarmist, socialist Republican candidate Dede Scozzafava for Congress in the special, off-year election in New York's 23rd district. The N.R.A. is pro-gun rights, not (necessarily) conservative, but a moderate Democrat helps the N.R.A. maintain its nonpartisan status and reputation more than supporting a liberal Republican. On the other hand, the media widely reported that the N.R.A. endorsed former Vermont governor and Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean. The reality is...