Sarah Palin took a giant step and did something established Republican leaders seldom do (excepting Senator Jim Inhofe): she endorsed a conservative candidate over an establishment pick. Palin's endorsement of Doug Hoffman in New York's 23 Congressional District is driving the old boys crazy. See a priceless Scozzafava video below. See post- election update below.
Sarah Palin
This report says two National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) officials said they will continue to support Dede with $200,000-$300,000 in political ads between now and the November 3rd special election. Have you donated to the NRCC lately?
None of those hundreds of thousands of dollars will support Doug Hoffman, the conservative candidate. Sarah Palin endorsed him anyway because it is the right thing to do. While the deep pockets of the Republican party work on the assumption that a conservative cannot win the seat, Doug Hoffman is rising in the polls over Dede Scozzafava, but trailing the Democrat, Bill Owens.
Here's a look at Dede Scozzafava from Michelle Malkin:
It would be one thing if Scozzafava balanced that social liberalism with fiscal conservatism. But as a state assemblywoman, she voted for massive tax increases, Democratic budgets and a $180 million state bank bailout. She also supported the trillion-dollar federal stimulus package — which every House Republican voted against.
More troubling, Scozzafava in past elections has embraced the ballot line of the Working Families Party — a socialist outfit whose political DNA is intertwined with scandal-ridden ACORN. ACORN and the WFP have shared office space in New York City, Arkansas and Illinois. ACORN head Bertha Lewis, a close Scozzafava friend and political supporter, wears a second hat as vice chairman of the WFP. The WFP has been listed in ACORN documents dating back to 2000 as an “affiliate.”I notice that Dede's "Latest Tweet," according to her website, announces that Senator Collins will "stump' for her. Well, of course she will.
Scozzafava's websites tell us about Dede: She is demanding that the $394 million in federal stimulus money, allocated for the "Weatherization Program" in her area be released, as well as more funds for "dairy farmers." The delay is unacceptable, she said, and she is demanding answers. I understand her frustration. I demand answers from the feds all the time and get nothing. Welcome to the club.
Newt Gingrich has a new book - he always has a new book, and once upon a time I bought them. Gingrich defends Scozzafava - without a single comment about her lack of conservative values. He says it is less than "clever" for Palin to step into this race. It is okay for Gingrich to do the same, of course. He thinks it is not smart to "go around the country and try to purge the party." And that, my friends, is why conservatives are where we are today.
If Dede loses, Gingrich says it will "guarantee Nancy Pelosi stays Speaker for the rest of her life." I desperately do not want that to happen, but I do not think Newt has all the answers.
While Gingrich signs autographs at local book shops, he should think about the hopelessness his viewpoint brings to a conservative. He is saying that the GOP must back the local choice, with no attempt to give voice to a real conservative. If we lose a seat, it will be devastating, but it will be even more devastating to give a Republican seat to a supporter of ACORN. We have to make a stand, and a start. I think the time is right.
Bill Kristol at Weekly Standard (thanks to American Power)
So Hoffman has the momentum and a chance to win, while Scozzafava is fading. It’s probably too late for the national and state Republicans to reverse their foolish initial blessing of Scozzafava—but surely they could at least stop attacking Hoffman, spend what money they’re going to spend attacking Owens, give up on pressuring high profile Republicans not to go in to help Hoffman, and therefore give Hoffman a decent chance to win.Well, absolutely - fight the Democrats, not the conservative.
The National Coalition of Tea Party activists issued this statement:
We are extremely disappointed that the Republican Party (and leaders like Newt Gingrich) has missed the message of the Tea Parties and continues to take conservative voters for granted. We applaud all courageous statesmen (Fred Thompson, Michelle Bachmann, and Dick Armey) and call on other GOP officials to put America’s values over traditional, often corrupt and morally bankrupt, power structures.November 3rd is just around the corner. Here's the latest polling I can find. Note that the Daily Kos Research poll "provides some encouraging news for Scozzafava: "despite a week of bad publicity." It shows her leading Hoffman among Republican voters, 46 to 27 percent.
Democrat Bill Owens leading Republican Dede Scozzafava 35 to 30 percent, with Conservative party candidate Doug Hoffman at 23 percent.The video below is priceless. I don't know how the guy standing to Dede's left kept a straight face:
Thanks to BigGovernment.com for the video above.
My post-election message to Newt Gingrich and party leaders:
Doug Hoffman Loses NY23: Conservatives Win Battle of Principle
View the Gingrich video here.
Related:
Scozzafava endorses David Owens, Newt calls Scozzafava's exit left, "statesmanlike."
Newt Backs Doug Hoffman: Gingrich Age of Party leaders Picking People is Over
NRCC Backs Doug Hoffman: RNC Backs Doug Hoffman
NRCC wastes $900,000 on Scozzafava: What is the RNCC doing for Hoffman now?
RINO DeDe Scozzafava Quits NY23: Hoffman NRCC Funds Available?
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