Revolt in New York

WSJ ^ | 11/1/2009 | Unk.

[Signalman]

Saturday's decision by Republican Dede Scozzafava to drop out of tomorrow's special Congressional election in upstate New York is a potentially big political moment that could help to return the GOP to first principles—or could lead to internecine ruin. Much will depend on how GOP leaders and conservative activists respond.

Picked by GOP elites without a primary and with a voting record to the left of many Albany Democrats, Ms. Scozzafava faced a revolt by local and national conservatives in favor of businessman Doug Hoffman, who was nominated on the Conservative Party line. The longtime GOP assemblywoman saw herself falling in the polls and yesterday endorsed Democratic lawyer Bill Owens, who could still win the GOP-leaning seat with a plurality.

The voter revolt ought to be a lesson to the GOP's backroom boys, especially in New York state, where the old Al D'Amato insider club has led the party to irrelevance. GOP state chairman Joe Mondello, now thankfully retired, and Beltway bigs misjudged public dismay against the Democratic agenda in Washington. Nominating a candidate who "can win" in the Northeast does not have to mean someone whose voting record is more liberal on taxes and unions than that of most Blue Dog Democrats.

[parsifal]

I think Voltaire said something about new experiences and that while we may not like them, they will at least be interesting.

parsy, who finds this GOP brawl interesting

[ontap]

If conservatives now revolt against every GOP candidate who disagrees with them on trade, immigration or abortion, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid will keep their majorities for a very long time.

Republicans settling for liberal candidates is what got us Reid and Pelosi.

[vbmoneyspender]

The Wall Street Journal editorial page apparently has a hard time seeing what is staring its editors in the face. When liberal Republicans don't get what they want, they defect and vote Democrat. The same thing, however, doesn't hold true for conservative Republicans.

The bottom line is every time I vote for a liberal Republican, I am taking a chance they are going to end up helping the Democrats gain power. This has happened innumerable times in states across the country and it should be an object lesson for anyone who is contemplating supporting a liberal Republican.

[hometoroost]

If Republicans will run and govern as conservative Republicans they can build a majority in a short period.

[Piranha]

I think the Wall Street Journal is afraid that the new Republican conservatism will sound the death-knell for amnesty for illegal aliens (which is mentioned ostensibly in passing at the end of the editorial). The Journal championed amnesty during the Bush administration.

[EternalVigilance]

America's Independent Party of New York archive of stories about the NY-23 race

[AlaskaErik]

A Republican Party with the likes of people like Dede Scozzafava is a Republican Party that will lose my vote.

[Mike Darancette]

I would say that it demonstrates the perfidy of RINOs.

[Psalm 144]

(In NY-23, in mere weeks, the GOP went from 1st party, to 3rd party, to the vanishing point. *Poof*)

---

The first pebble . . .

[EternalVigilance]

That’s all it takes to begin the avalanche!

[Psalm 144]

Rock on!

:-)

[torquinus]

I think the more relevant comment in the WSJ piece concerns the “Back Room” D’amato gang. Having milked Nassau county dry from the early seventies until they finally lost it a few years back, they have effectively destroyed the GOP in New York as a counterweight to the Democrats. Thus “liberal” GOP candidates. Nassau GOP was (and might still be) as organized as Tammany Hall, another Empire State product.