The Spectacle Blog
Since Doug Hoffman’s electrifying campaign in last fall’s wild three-way special election in upstate New York (see “Battle Cry in the North Country”), other candidates have thrown their hats in the ring for the GOP nomination for the seat now held by Democrat Rep. Bill Owens. Among those candidates is Matt Doheny.
Jude Seymour of the Watertown (N.Y.) Daily Times reports that Conservative Party chairman Mike Long says he’s committed to supporting Hoffman this fall and that Doheny missed his chance last year:
Michael R. Long, state Conservative Party chairman, said he asked Mr. Doheny’s “handlers” to tell the hopeful that if he had interest in running against moderate Republican Dierdre K. Scozzafava in the 23rd Congressional District last fall, the third party would support his candidacy.
“The answer I got was: ‘No, he doesn’t want to alienate the Republican Party,’” the chairman recalled Wednesday. “He was in the mix as one of the guys I would have supported against Dede Scozzafava. He chose to play the inside baseball game.”
Mr. Hoffman, a Lake Placid accountant, took the party’s offer instead, using the line to push a social and fiscally conservative platform that received considerable support during the special election. He finished a close second to Rep. William L. Owens, D-Plattsburgh, with Ms. Scozzafava far behind.
“Matt Doheny failed at that defining moment,” the chairman said.
Mr. Hoffman, he added, showed “courage” and “earned” the party’s endorsement and line again in this year’s race. Mr. Doheny, Watertown, and Mr. Hoffman will face each other in a Republican primary. If Mr. Doheny prevails, there will again be a three-way race… .
Mr. Long’s specific objection was that Mr. Doheny had donated $2,400 - the maximum allowed by law - to Ms. Scozzafava on Oct. 10… .
Scozzafava notoriously quit the race the weekend before Election Day and endorsed the Democrat, Owens. She has since declared she will not seek re-election to the state assembly. But that’s history, whereas the possibility of another three-way election is present-tense.
To grasp the problem now facing the GOP in NY-23 requires an understanding of New York’s multi-party system. In addition to the Democratic and Republican parties, several other minor parties have ballot lines, and for a major-party candidate to pick up the endorsement of a minor party can be crucial in a close election. Last year in NY-23, for example, there were five parties on the ballot: Owens was on two lines (Democrat and Working Families parties), Scozzafava was on two lines (Republican and Independence) and Hoffman was on the Conservative line. If Hoffman wins the GOP nomination, he’ll be on at least two lines, and could win the Independence Party endorsement, as well.
Mike Long has made the argument that no Republican can win NY-23 without the Conservative Party’s endorsement, and he is adamant that the endorsement will go to Doug Hoffman this fall. So the question now is: Does the New York GOP wish to repeat last year’s disastrous attempt to prove Mike Long wrong?
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Pingback| 5.12.10 @ 10:52PM
Twitter Trackbacks for The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : NY-23: Conservative Par links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
OHPatriot| 5.12.10 @ 11:05PM
Doesn't the New York GOP get it? We don't want a RINO representing in Washington. I'll do everything I can to elect strong conservative candidates. They had their chance last fall and blew it with a liberal Republican. Can we trust them again? Do they even have common sense up there?
Floyd Looney | 5.12.10 @ 11:53PM
At least there is a primary this time around.
Mark| 5.13.10 @ 9:28AM
Is Hoffman running in the GOP primary? If so, and Doheny defeats Hoffman in an open and fair primary, than Hoffman has the obligation to drop out and endorse Doheny - and vice versa of course. We can NOT afford to give up these Republican districts due to third parties splitting the anti-Democrat vote.
Robert Stacy McCain | 5.13.10 @ 9:37AM
"Hoffman has the obligation to drop out and endorse Doheny"
Did you read the article, Mark? Hoffman will be on the Nov. 2 ballot as the Conservative Party candidate, regardless of what happens in the GOP primary.
"We can NOT afford to give up these Republican districts due to third parties splitting the anti-Democrat vote."
Correct. And in 2009, the Scozzafava Republicans became the third party in NY-23. If the "anti-Democrat vote" is split again in 2010, it will be Matt Doheny's fault.
Benjamin Walker| 5.13.10 @ 10:23AM
The Other McCain is right on point...again!
Not to mention, unseating an incumbent (and let's face it, that's what Bill Owens is) is difficult to do no matter the ideological breakdown of a district. The 23rd needs a candidate running on the Republican/Conservative/Independence lines that is just as well knowing as Rep. Owens. Doug Hoffman is that candidate. Outside of his little circle of GOP elites no one knows who the hell Matt Doheny is.
JimR99| 5.13.10 @ 10:43AM
Has Mr. Hoffman moved into the District yet?
Interested Conservative| 5.13.10 @ 12:11PM
Probably not, but he lives closer than any Kennedy or Clinton, which is close enough.
Earle Stone| 5.13.10 @ 12:50PM
The GOP did not learn the lesson in Texas CD17. Rob Curnock almost beat Chet Edwards in 2008. Rob spent $100k+ and Chet spent $2 mill+ and Rob only lost by 4.5 percentage points after the RPT tried to stop Rob from runnining in 2008.
In 2010, the GOP rather than supporting Rob parachuted in a big money donor who did not even vote in 2008 as was too busy raising money for the GOP. they brought in their DC machine, kicked Rob to the curb, and put Bill Flores in.
The GOP will do the same in NY CD23. It is about the party and not the people.
Rand Paul may be the only conservative strong enough to buck the GOP and win.
For the GOP to become more representative of the conservative constituency, we will have to replace the county chairs, then the state chairs.
Caroline| 5.13.10 @ 11:49PM
I love that comment that says that if there is a three way vote it will be Doheny's fault...are you forgetting that if Doheny is on the ballot it is because a primary election put him there??? Right now the only thing putting Hoffman on the ballot is some egotistical self serving flash in the pan named Mike Long. There was no primary, there is overwhelming support for Hoffman. The man is grossly incompetant and a total embarrassment. What about 2009 didn't say that? And if someone blurts back that he received 46% of the vote, let me just say...THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE RUNNING!!! It was him or a democrat is a district that had a republican in office for 100 years, and Hoffman still couldn't pull it off. And he only made it worse with all his post election antics about Acorn and slashed tired and fixed voting. never mind the "irregularities" in his contribution disclosure las year. The man is just a loser. The end.
Pingback| 5.14.10 @ 10:44AM
Conservative Cameron Takes The Reins In Britain links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
JOHN W. BUGLER | 5.15.10 @ 4:50AM
HOFFMAN ROCKS. HE IS WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT . A COMMON MAN WHO LEFT HIS PLOW
TO WADE INTO A SEA OF TROUBLE.
SUPPORT HIM--YOU SUPPORT YOURSELF AND YOUR POSTERITY.
YES. YES. YES.
YES WE CAN.
jwb