Posted on 11/03/2009 9:58:12 PM PST by rabscuttle385
America has changed, and you have helped. Although we did not succeed in winning this election, we have succeeded in making sure political parties and special interests no longer take the people for granted. I believe we have sent a powerful message and laid the groundwork for future conservative campaigns.
I congratulate Bill Owens on a hard won victory. In our tradition of free elections, our country continues. And although Bill Owens has won, I believe America is turning the page to a new dawn.
The ideas of freedom, sound fiscal management and citizen government have sprung back into our consciousness. Our founding fathers would be proud of New York 23. It was here that our principles, those that have been the foundation of our nation, came back to life with a vengeance. And it was here that the people rose up against the political bosses who tried to impose their will. It was here that people reached out to control their own destinies again.
Despite the election results, I am optimistic for our future, because now I know that I am not alone in wanting to repair our great nation. Throughout this campaign I have been inspired by the outpouring of support and the intensity of that support.
I’ve met many different people in this campaign, from many walks of life and many professions; each with a different personal story to share. Yet we are all united in the belief that by participating in democracy, we could inspire change.
I urge that no one feel defeated, for this was only one of many elections. We came close, we put our agenda in front of the nation and the nation took notice. The worse thing we could do now, is not continue forward. Next year there are other elections and other candidates who have drawn inspiration from our efforts.
I would like to thank all of you who placed your faith in me, who worked tirelessly and shared your enthusiasm with those around you. You are all patriots, you have all stood up for your country and I am honored to stand among you.
Thank you,
Yes he did.
Yes, I noticed that. Strange he would still be supporting someone—Dede- who endorsed a Democratic candidate.
they had better go after her for the money because donations to the GOP are going to be lean for the New Jersey fiasco.
Ya know, I heard that whine repeatedly, from Michael Steele and Newt Gingrich last week before Scuzzy quit the race and endorsed the Democrat. They said we "outsiders" had no right to be outraged that the NY GOP put up a liberal as their candidate.
I yelled at the radio and TV when I heard that argument... If the NY GOP's candidate had won, she would be voting on laws and programs that affect everyone in every state; and that's why "out of state conservatives" had and have every right to raise their voices and call the RINO a RINO.
also, you have to give voters more credit than to just assume they decide based on a few sentences on facebook or a few minutes commentary from Glenn Beck. They’re not sheep.
I never saw Owens, but I know he campaigned for months, he participated in debates, met with editorial boards, got big paper endorsements. Had backing from state and natl dems, unions, and other big orgs. He’s an Air Force vet with ties to Fr Drum which is huge in the district.
Hoffman apparently didn’t debate at all, flaked out on meetings with newspapers and came off uninformed about the district. Had a bunch of non-NYers come in and flood the area. Not usually a good tactic. He basically had a few days once she dropped out to run a campaign. Owens had been the dem guy since the summer.
From the few appearances of Hoffman I saw on TV and on radio he was not exactly someone you’d man the barricades for. Personality and looks wise reminded me of Ned Lamont.
There’s also a dem WH and voters know that having a guy in DC who’s a dem will be good for their district. Owens will be watched after by the WH and likely to bring money and jobs and whatever in. He’ll get plum committee assignments. If Hoffman won, he’d have been shunned by the WH, mired in the minority, and the 23rd likely forgotten about. Voters have self-interest and you can’t blame them for wanting a congressman who has an in with the WH and the leadership. The GOP won plenty of races because of that factor in the 90s and early 2000s.
It’s entirely possible that Owens was simply a better candidate, better for the district, better prepared and more articulate on the issues and policy, and ran a better campaign. That Hoffman simply wasn’t a very good candidate. That happens sometimes.
I like Sarah Palin but a facebook posting isn’t going to swing an election. Barack Obama rode into NJ on his white horse and crown of thorns 3 times and couldn’t pull it out for Corzine. Had big rallies, speeches, ads, billboards, hope, change, fried up and ready to go. Was like Mick and Keith bringing out Jumpin Jack Flash and Brown Sugar, all the greatest hits. No one was fired up and the only one who’s ready to go is Jon Corzine.
Palin didn’t even show up in NY, maybe if she had things would have been different.
She also made facebook posts about NJ and VA, donated the max to McDonnell, and they both won so if she was really poison why didn’t her support for McDonnell and Christie turn people off? Hoffman likely did far better tonight because of her than he owuld have otherwise.
I think her post was more about asserting herself within the conservative wing and laying down a marker for future activities than it was about Hoffman per se. He was just the vehicle.
I do think the anger Scozzafava felt and her backing of Owens helped him. Some of the stuff Rush said about screwing all the rinos and some of the more personal attacks that he and Levin and Beck and others made didn’t help things. The radio guys can go over the top at times, to our detriment.
If you read Palin’s posting she never really said anything bad about Scozzofava personally or made any snide or biting remarks. She just said she was selected by the establishment, that she’s too close to the dem on too many issues and that the party needs to start electing real conservatives. She didn’t even mention social issues like abortion or gay marriage. She didn’t even mention Scozzofava by name. It wasn’t like she was some far right loon raving about Van Jones and the 56 Refounders. If you just read her post and din’t know who wrote it, anyone would think it was an entirely reasonable and fair statement. She never called on Scozzafava to withdraw and had kind words for her when she did stand down.
This race had so many special circumstances you can’t really extrapolate further. But 49-45 when it was 35-23 a couple weeks ago is a good start.
Nationally, tonight was a big win for the GOP and for conservatives. It’s a big deal to actually win something for a change. To set the tone for next year. To get people excited.
All this talk about independents is nuts. As we saw tonight, if unemployment is still at 10% or higher next year, they’ll flock to the GOP regardless of who’s running. If it’s still that way in 2012, they’ll abandon Obama in droves just like they did Corzine.
No need to be so downcast. The GOP establishment and the RATS all know that the NY-23 election result was rigged/fraudulent. If they learned any lesson, it’s that they’re being cornered and their days are numbered. We conservatives are like the unzombies knocking on the windows and doors of their little world.
Un-effing-believable on her part. She took the RNC money and then endorsed the Dem. I hope her next political appointment is as local dog-catcher.
The rat voters in NY-23 outnumber conservative voters...plus voters willing to throw away their vote on someone who dropped out from the race. Conservatives can't win this seat...even when the GOP candidate gives up. But a RINO can win the seat by 2-1 margins.
Clearly a whole bunch of people stayed home.
That would be moderate Republicans and independents who didn't see an acceptable candidate to vote for.
Thank you for those numbers. This loss is more stunning than I thought.
McHugh was a longtime guy who everyone knew. Hoffman was a new guy who no one knew and whose campaign ended up being seen as being about a national issue and not really the district.
Dede was picked in late July so she had less than 3 1/2 months to run. I posted on another forum, before Dede quit, that Hoffman would get less than half the GOP vote...even with Dede quiting he got less than half the GOP vote.
Still, any downside to conservatives is more than outweighed by the huge egg on Obama’s face after going all out for Corzine and getting spanked.
Things look good for 2010. Dems are losing enthusiasm, if health care goes down they’ll lose even more. We have good candidates and favorable races next year.
I agree, but wouldn't tonight be even better if Owen's lost? If my post seems disrespectful I don't mean to be. You have a right to fight for the soul of the GOP. I'm more interested in stopping 0 and winning elections. Your post was thoughtful and supported by logic and facts, even if I don't agree with some of your conclusions, I appreciate this response.
a 49-45 loss does not make one unelectable. it’s not like he was blown out. If he had been the guy from the start instead of the wacky scenario that played out maybe he wins. And just because Hoffman lost doesn’t mean another conservative who is better on the tsump or on tv or actually meets with editorial boards and voters and debates wouldn’t win.
How is Hoffman far right? He’s a mainstream conservative. No different on the issues than most Republicans.
is it only about #s? Would having an extra few Specters and Snowes and Chafees in the Senate now make a difference? A few more Chris Shayses in the house?
You’re not going to win every election. Sometimes you have to establish principles and go on from there. Each step is a building block. The Reagan Revolution didn’t happen overnight. The 94 takeover didn’t happen overnight. Obama in 2008 didn’t happen overnight. There will be setbacks along the way. It was a long way from Paul Revere to Cornwallis at Yorktown.
Who gives a s-— what Kos thinks?
The news tonight is that VA turned back to the GOP in a huge way and that all Barack’s horses and all Barack’s men couldn’t put Jon Corzine back together again. That’s what will matter going forward. No one will care about NY23 a few weeks from now. But they will care about what ahppened tonight and the ramifications.
BTW, for all the talk about Palin and the extreme far right, guess who stumped for Christie over the weekend? Joe “You Lie” Wilson, the MSM poster boy of extreme. Didn’t seem to turn off independents. I wonder if they’ll mention that fact on TV tomorrow.
Too bad you didn't listen.
It remains true...a rat or a RINO was electable in this district. Out of state conservatives wasted a lot of money, time and headlines to elect a rat. If it gives you solace to know Dede might not have voted the way you wanted while you KNOW Owens will vote against us every time...well then I'm freaking happy for you. I yelled at the posters on several conservative forums that they were dumb as a box of rocks, and that a RINO could win in this seat. Feel free to wallow in your righteous indignation that the GOP would pick an electable candidate in a RINO NY district...I need get up tomorrow and go to work...to pay for Bush's expiring tax cuts, 0's $1.5 Trillion deficit, and whatever unconstitutional crap this loss enable the rats to pass.
Sleep well. Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
There was a flag from that war that had the image of a beaver gnawing on a tree. Below the image was the motto:
PERSERVERANCE
We will prevail.
AMEN and HALLELUJA!!!
I think that you should be sure to listen to Rush today.
yes it would have been better if he lost, but it wouldn’t have been much better if DeDe won. Would she have stopped Obama? Is adding 1 liberal vote to a rump GOP caucus going to make a difference?
From all the polls, DeDe was never winning anyway. It was either going to be Owens or Hoffman. If DeDe endorsed Hoffman he wins. End of story. Why that didn’t happen and how it broke down between her and the party I don’t know. It should have been better handled and the aprty should have been able to assuage her and give her something to keep her on board.
I think Hoffman and some conservatives got a little full of themselves when she dropped out and didn’t do what they needed to maintain her support. Oh well.
But nationally conservatives are energized and the party will do much better with them than they ever will courting moderates. You don’t win with moderates, you do with energized conservatives. And quite honestly, a party that wins with moderates and reflects Specter, Snowe and Chafee and Lowell Weicker isn’t one worth supporting anyway in my view.
But the big picture is that Obama and the dems went down hard in two states they won last year. In 2 states where Obama and Biden and Clinton and all the rest personally showed up and put themselves on the line. 2 conservatives won. Both pro-life, pro-free market, pro-growth, anti-Obama-care, anti Cap and Trade.
And all the blue dogs in the house and Senators in AR, NE, MO, IN, NC, VA and all the rest saw it.
We did win elections tonight. In VA and NJ that were way more important. O and the Dems are less powerful this morning than they were yesterday afternoon. Health care has less of a chance of passing. Cap and trade has less of a chance of passing. All good things.
We MUST seal the primaries in all of our states immediately. It is time we stop letting leftist cross over and choose our candidates. I cannot stress this enough.
So we get a DemocRat who’s honest enough to tell the truth about himself instead of that Daily Kos-endorsed lying duplicitous bitch.
Yes it does. The election is the proof.
it’s not like he was blown out.
Tell it to Pelosi. This was a gerrymandered GOP district. one of only 3 out of 31 in NY. RINO McHugh got 145k in 2008 and Hoffman got 62k. Do the math.
Sometimes you have to establish principles and go on from there.
Your principles were rejected by the voters of NY-23. Out of power Republicans can bend over and take it long and hard by unprincipled rats. rats put a socialist on the SCOTUS, took over GM, and passed a budget with a 1.5 trillion dollars deficit. Your principles cost my children a future. feel better? I don't.
Who gives a s-— what Kos thinks?
Evidently ansel12 in post 122, and BradyLS in post 182...the one I was responding too...does.
No one will care about NY23 a few weeks from now.
Dream on. Hundreds of thousands of people marched to Washington to send a message..All the political pull of the Tea party power-brokers hinged on this race.
After failing to stop McCain in the primaries and failing to elect Palin, conservatives threw away another congressional seat to prove they could elect a rat. Now Owens can help pass Obamacare and cap and tax.
Honestly, do you not think it was going to be the case with Scozzafava? We'd have been sweating out her every vote as we do with Snowe. And in the end, she'd vote with the socialists 90 percent of the time.
Hoffman would have caucused with the Republicans. I fail to see how adding another D to Pelosi's majority is a "victory".
I so much wish we could take the time and money and go through many votes especially in big cities and verify them. I am sure the Dems have loaded the system with fake votes as usual. It would not be just for this election but to bust them big time and for all time. Is there anyway we could do that even as an army of volunteers? Do we have that right?
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