Republican dirty tricks in NY 23

A brand-new organization calling itself Common Sense in America is up with a major television ad buy in the New York special election, praising Republican Dede Scozzafava as the “best choice for progressives.”

At first glance, the group’s ad looks like it’s an endorsement of Scozzafava. But it’s a dirty trick engineered by Hoffman supporters, looking to render her unacceptable to many Republican voters by detailing her liberal position on gay marriage, support of President Obama’s stimulus and connections to labor.

“On Tuesday, progressives have one candidate to vote for with pride: Dede Scozzafava,” the ad says.

“Dede supports President Obama’s efforts to stimulate our economy. Dede supports organized labor’s drive to expand membership. And Dede is the only candidate for Congress who supports marriage equality. Dede Scozzafava: the best choice for progressives.”

The group’s presumed intent with the ad is to trick unsuspecting GOP voters into thinking Scozzafava is the choice of progressives so they will then support her Conservative party challenger, Doug Hoffman. Common Sense in America is spending about $150,000 on the ad buy, and it is up on broadcast and cable in all three media markets in the sprawling upstate New York district.

The ad will be airing beginning today, and will be up until the special election next Tuesday.

In tracking down information about Common Sense in America, it’s clear they don’t have the best intentions for Scozzafava in mind. The group, which was founded on October 23, is headed by Arkansas businessman Jackson Stephens, a board member of the Club for Growth. The Club for Growth was one of the first groups to endorse Hoffman.

Stephens donated the maximum $4,800 to Hoffman’s campaign, and is one of the Club for Growth’s leading donors.

Calling the group’s phone number – listed on the advertisement – led me to a voice mail from Stephens, which directed all questions about Common Sense in America to Dan Blum, a communications consultant who is serving as a spokesman for the organization. According to FEC records, Blum worked for the Republican National Committee as a staffer as recently as this January.

"Common Sense In America, LLC was recently founded for the purpose of providing factual information about the positions taken by candidates for Congress," said Blum.

"The purpose of this ad, produced independent of any other organization, is to give voters undisputed facts about candidate Dede Scozzafava’s positions. Ms. Scozzafava is clearly and indisputably on record supporting the Obama stimulus, card check, and gay marriage. These positions would make her an ideal candidate for progressive voters in New York’s 23rd congressional district."

But Scozzafava spokesman Matt Burns accused the Hoffman campaign of being behind the ad, and attacked them for engaging in dirty, underhanded tricks to undermine the Republican’s campaign.

“Doug Hoffman and his supporters have lied and distorted, and now they’re just being downright underhanded,” said Burns. “Doug Hoffman has run the most divisive campaign of any candidate, probably in modern political history. He’s lied, he’s distorted and now he’s just using another underhanded tactic because he’s desperate.”

Telling the truth about a candidate is now a “dirty trick&rdquo. Amazing.

I think this ad is brilliant. It is going to be interesting to see who splits votes from whom next week.

And I just want to take a few seconds to make everyone aware of another race next Tuesday. This one is in California’s 10th congressional district. They have a fiscally conservative Republican running out there who has a chance to flip a seat from the Democrats. But he is getting no support at all from the RNC or the NRCC.

I support David Harmer for California’s 10th Congressional District (donations). He is a conservative candidate who has been a fellow at the Heritage Foundation and the Cato institute. He is committed to controlling spending, promoting economic growth, and free market solutions to todays problems.

I am also contacting the NRCC to ask why they are supporting Scozzafava in the race in upstate New York, and why they are ignoring David Harmer in this close race in California’s 10th district. Here are the numbers if anyone else wants to call:

Info from the NRCC "contact us" web page:

Contact the NRCC

Address:

320 First Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003

General Email:
website@nrcc.org

Phone:
Phone: 202-479-7000

Also, perhaps those of us who donated to the RNC or RCCC should ask for our money back so we can support the conservative candidates of our choice.

Other threads related to this California 10th District race:

More threads ...

From the desk of
cc2k:

Candidates I support: Doug Hoffman for Congress, NY 23rd (PayPal), David Harmer for Congress, CA 10th (website for info).

Please, spread the word about these important special elections on November 3, 209: New York’s 23rd congressional district and California’s 10th congressional district.

“A vote for Hoffman is a vote for Pelosi”
- Is that a “dirty trick” designed to get Hoffman voters to think twice about voting for him.

“On Tuesday, progressives have one candidate to vote for with pride: Dede Scozzafava”
- Is that a “dirty trick” designed to get Scozzafava voters to think twice about voting for her.

I say they are both good political tactics. It’s time for politicians to pull up their big boy pants and realize that hardball is how things are won.

A few things should stay out of the fight (like children), but if you can’t stand up to Dede Scozzafava or Doug Hoffman, you don’t deserve to be that close to the front line.

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