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,
I think we mostly agree. A few last points.
You’re right that the GOP will have to attract moderates. Although not that many. If we can get the 84% or so of conservatives Bush got, 42% of moderates is enough to win.
Also, I think you’ll find moderates are a lot easier to appeal to when unemployment is at 10% under a dem President than they are when it jumps 30% while te market drops by 30% under a GOP President who has the worst approval ratings in US history.
All of a sudden once Bush was gone and the economy was bad under the dems, the GOP appealed to moderates again. No surprise. Economic conditions have way more to di with who moderates vote for than who a particular candidate is. If unemployment stays high and the deficit grows and spending continues, Palin or any other Republican will appeal to moderates just fine. Just like arch-conservative Ronald Reagan all of a sudden appealed to moderates after the economy went south under Carter.
I do agree that it doesn’t help the GOP for Limbaugh to insult her personally or make fun of her name. That screwing RINOS comment of his apparently really galvanized her supporters for Owens. Again, Palin never even mentioned by her name, and actually praised her. Some of the stuff conservatives did going after her and making fun or ganging up came back to bite them in the end. We do have to get along and I wish they could have figured out a way to placate her and maybe find some other post or position and keep her on board. Maybe promise that Hoffman would only serve this year to send a message and that she would have the nomination or they’d have an open primary next year or something like that.
Rush and others need to remember the 11th commandment. Advocate for your guy, fine. But there’s no need to insult or personally attack another Republican.
Lastly, I don’t think you can take much nationally from NY23. It was a special case. Hoffman had no political experience. No one in the district knew who he was. He’d never run a campaign. Up until last Saturday he had no backing from the natl party organization. He had very little support from the state and local party(a lot of whom bailed on him and delivered votes for Owens after Scozzafava got mad and got even). He avoided debates and meetings with major newspapers. He didn’t really become the GOP’s guy until Saturday. The scenario was very unique.
As said, most rookie pols lose their first race. Obama did in Chicago. W did in TX. Hoffman is not a naturally talented pol. He had no built in support network.
To say that just because he narrowly lost, a conservative who was backed by a united party from the start, who had an organziation, supported at the local and state levels, who had experience and was good on the stump and on TV and went to debates and met with voters and newspapers and lived in the district and was just a better candidate, etc... couldn’t win is folly.
And how do you know about turnout? It was a special election in an off year. Of course there will be low turnout. How do you know it didn’t end up higher than it would have been otherwise? Maybe Owens beats Dede by an even bigger margin? Who knows?
Maybe the polling was off and Owens was always ahead. I think that PPP poll that showed him up 17 really threw people. Everyone thought it was in the bag. If you just went with the siena poll that had him up 41-36 with 18 undecided and most of them Scozzafava voters, the result wasn’t shocking after she endorsed Owens.
The polls in the Bloomberg race were way off. Maybe Hoffman maxed out his potential and did as well as he could have, and better than Scozzafava would have.
Again, don’t underestimate the power of having a guy on the same team as the President. In a district with a big army base that matters a lot. Owens was an AF vet and had military ties. He had instituional NY support. Hoffman had none, excpet when Pataki showed up at the last second, but that was too late.
And even if you feel bad that it was a failure for conservatives, think about how much more of a failure it was for Obama and liberals and dems last night in NJ and VA. A much bigger defeat.
So Palin and Beck and Levin and the tea partiers and whoever couldn’t lift a nebbish accountant who was never involved in politics, was totally unkown in the district, was outspent, lived outside the district, avoided debates and the media, and really had no campaign to speak of for much of the race past the finish line in a district that went +6 for Obama last year at 52%. He was at 23 10 days ago and ended up at 46. By far the highest ever for a guy on the conservative line. Ok.
Obama, Biden, and the dems couldn’t lift a billionaire incumbent Governor and former Senator who’d won 2 statewide races with 50+, had held office in NJ for the past 9 years, and outspent his opponent 3-1 in a state that went +15 for Obama and hadn’t elected a dem since 1997, despite 3 personal appearances by Obama, billboards, tv ads, calls, sending his guys there to oversee the operation, personally holding him up as a key partner in his agenda, having the endorsements of all the major papers, despite basically abandoning VA to focus like a laser on NJ, etc...
Which was worse? Transplant Obama with Bush ca 2002 or 2005 and the media would be roasting him and reading his obituary this morning.
All in all I think this will be a positive learning experience for all Republicans and conservatives and leave us better off for next year.
In the meantime, celebrate the wins in NJ and VA and the first real cracks in Obama. He lost last night. Obamacare and cap and trade lost last night. Hopefully the GOP can take advantage but they are both on the ropes right now. Dems and liberals are sad this morning. They’ve seen that Obama is mortal. This is the best day for the GOP since Obama took office. Enjoy it.
I am only halfway through reading the posts, but I hope Mr. Hoffman “pulls a Palin” and hangs on to his Facebook members and occasionally posts on the errant votes Mr. Owens is bound to make!
heh
In other words, play the game the way the rats do.
Give them some of their own medicine, right upside the head.”
I agree! And while he was at it we would do the following as we should anyway:
When the RNC calls asking for donations we say: “You are asking me for money when you backed the likes of Dede Sh**woman over Doug Hoffmann???”
45% of the electorate voted Conservative. 6% voted Republican. That 6% is what gave us the Dem. People who didn't want the Dem but did not pay attention to the news of the "r" dropping out is what elected the dem.... The "GOP" can not be happy but the controlling Dem/Rep totalitarian oligarchy at the top is. Another loss for the people against a run away government.
So, as long as Hoffman handles himself well -- and this statement suggests he will do exactly that -- he WILL be the Congressman in that District in 2010.
Congressman Billybob
I wish Hoffman had won. That would have sent a necessary message to the GOP.
I guess the message is that “Third Party” is the way to oblivion. We need to work within the GOP.
I guess the message is that “Third Party” is the way to oblivion. We need to work within the GOP.
There will be a GOP primary on Sept. 10, 2010. So by early summer candidates should be making noise about entering the primary. Look for Doheny or Maroun to possibly be contenders. They combined had 55% of the first round vote for the nomination which Scozzafava won on the 2nd ballot.
John / Billybob
The message is...we know what your tricks are and it will not happen again. The Dem/Rep big government coalition is in big trouble nationwide.
This is a very enlightening post - it sounds as if Owens was a very solid candidate, and the district, for whatever reason, has been in the Democrat machine’s crosshairs for a while.
I waver on leaving the GOP. The immediate results would be patchy, and prolong the leprosy that is left wing governance. On the other hand, if the GOP continues to be a distinction without a difference, there is no choice except to leave.
I really benefitted from your post. Thank you for taking the time on it - it is clearly well thought out, and thoughtful.
Then they win on the second try. Do you want to bet that Hoffman will not be the victorious, Republican nominee in 2010, when NY 23 has its next regular election? I'll put $100 down on that. You want to bet against me? Or, do you concede the point?
Congressman Billybob
Interesting, riding "Obama's coattails" before he's in office. Quite a trick. I suppose the GOP-sweep results in Virginia are also as "bellweather" as they were when Obama won the state. Sure thing.
And - Hoffman "pathetic," despite the massive sabotage and lack of funding and time he was burdened with? Whatever.
That 6% voted for an "R." Either they were liberal ‘Pubbies who couldn't bring themselves to vote for Owens, or they were too stupid to vote in the first place. Either way, that “R” is worth at least 6% of the vote without a dime spent. You can't give that up and hope to win against the Democrats. We're going to have to stick with and work within the GOP.
If she was off the ticket the conservative would have won, plan and simple, it was sabotage by your big government republicans, just like the ads the republicans funded against the conservative,
When 45% of the people voted against the "r", I think it means something big. The reb/dem big government oligarchy had better pay attention. Their tricks will not work a second time.
This is such a cathartic thread... remember, everybody, 2.5 out of 3 ain’t bad.
Great analysis from everybody, all around.
Bump.
Got to rememmber that Dede’s last name was hard to pronouce to begin with. There are people who have tough last names. It was not making fun of. Plus this was for a short term amount of time. Plus Dede’s name was on the ballot twice, what can I say.
Amen to that!
“If she was off the ticket the conservative would have won, plan and simple, it was sabotage by your big government republicans, just like the ads the republicans funded against the conservative,”
Good post and sums up the entire situation.
Conservatives win here. Just say no to RINO’s!
Thanks for nothing...
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.