Posted on 10/16/2009 12:34:03 PM PDT by markomalley
Republican heavy hitters are stepping up for the partys 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 candidates conservative credential, including her endorsement by the National Rifle Association, the fact that she signed the Americans for Tax Reforms Taxpayers Protection Pledge and her opposition to the Democrats 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.
Hoffmans 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.
Gingrinch was McCain before McCain was McCain.
Is there a single Republican position she’s taken?
I agree! You would think that the GOP would learn and stop advancing liberal candidates. All they need to do is stop giving us RINO globalists and the vote will not be split. How hard is that to figure out? Now, where can I contribute to Hoffman's campaign?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.