Posted on 10/16/2009 12:34:03 PM PDT by markomalley
Republican heavy hitters are stepping up for the party’s New York special election candidate, after a poll this week showed the GOP in danger of losing that House seat.
On Friday, former House Speaker and Republican icon Newt Gingrich announced his endorsement of New York Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, who is trailing Democrat Bill Owens in a tight three-way race to succeed nine-term GOP Rep. John M. McHugh .
McHugh vacated the seat to become secretary of the Army.
The Republican National Committee also confirmed Friday that it was making a six-figure transfer to the National Republican Campaign Committee to help in that race.
The NRCC has already spent nearly half a million dollars on advertising and other independent expenditures. And with the Scozzafava campaign on television only sparingly — reportedly because of slow fundraising — it has become the main source of advertising for the Republicans at this point.
The RNC is also giving $85,000 to the state party, the maximum allowed for a coordinated campaign, and has two staffers on the ground in the district.
In a letter to supporters, Gingrich called the Nov. 3 special election “an important test” for the party in advance of the 2010 mid-term election. Scozzafava is “Our best chance to put responsible and principled leaders in Washington,” he said.
Gingrich, who also voiced his support for Scozzafava at a GOP event last week in New York City, listed off a number of the candidate’s conservative credential, including her endorsement by the National Rifle Association, the fact that she signed the Americans for Tax Reform’s Taxpayers’ Protection Pledge and her opposition to the Democrat’s health care overhaul proposal.
Gingrich did not mention it, but his appeal was clearly targeted at those Republican voters leaning towards voting for accountant Doug Hoffman, who is running on the Conservative Party line.
Hoffman has capitalized on the backlash among local and national conservative groups, who have strongly objected to her centrist record in the Assembly. She voted in support of gay marriage and of the 2008-09 state budget pushed by Democratic Govs. Eliot Spitzer and David A. Paterson , and favors some abortion rights.
Conservative advocacy groups including the Club for Growth, Citizens United and New York State Right to Life PAC are all backing Hoffman.
In a Siena College poll released Thursday, Hoffman received 23 percent of the vote, including significant portions of the independent and GOP electorate.
Hoffman’s performance helped Owens pull ahead of Scozzafava by a statistically significant four point margin, after trailing her by seven percentage points two weeks ago.
The GOP hope to convince conservative voters that a vote for Hoffman is a vote for the Democrats.
OOPs, I shoulda said pro-choice. Sorry.
Gingrich is turning into McCain.
I hope we lose the seat. It’s the only thing that the GOP seems to understand - losing. Even when they do that, they can’t understand why. You can’t out-liberal a liberal. If the people want liberals, they’ll hire the real thing. If they NEED an adult, they aren’t going to hire some squishy RINO.
bad libs. Does NY have open primaries?? Was she nominated by Dems?
Yes, but we went to vote on Primary Day and the place was closed. They didn’t have an open primary this year. I don’t know why. The democrats are wildly advertising against her and voting for Bill Owens.
lol. Do the ads call her too liberal?
They say she voted for Patterson’s taxes and is hand in hand with Nancy Pelosi, that kind of stuff.
Dede Scuzzyflavor sounds like bad news for America all around
She’s a RINO, what can I say?
She is so far left I don’t even think RINO covers it.
Tonight’s ad said she voted for higher taxes 180 or 190 times and that she voted some in favor of her husband’s business. Doesn’t that sound like a typical liberal? Nancy P. comes to mind.
I think there is also a Calif. Senator whose husband owns companies that get huge contracts with the military. A coincidence I am sure. /sarc
She was nominated by GOP committee members. There was no primary. It was closed to GOP voters.
Another good reason for the local real Republicans to revolt and support Hoffman.
Newt supports a RINO when there’s a real conservative in the race. Maybe he’s just gettin’ old.
Yesss, of course it’s only a coincidence, LOL. All crooks in MY humble opinion.
Yesss, of course it’s only a coincidence, LOL. All crooks in MY humble opinion.
Yesss, of course it’s only a coincidence, LOL. All crooks in MY humble opinion.
yup, you can say that thrice
How many times will the GOP put forward liberals to run against liberal dems?
Anyone who blames the conservative voters here is full of horse manure. The GOP needs to return to its base - not try to “shame” the base into betraying its principles.
The PARTY is nothing. The PRINCIPLE is everything.
Or are your principles for sale that cheap?
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