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Bill Owens to Retire From Congress (liberal republican Scozzafava endorsed, remember?)
rollcall.com ^ | 1/14/14 | Abby Livingston

Posted on 01/14/2014 10:19:20 AM PST by cotton1706

Updated 12:30 PM | Rep. Bill Owens, D-N.Y., announced Tuesday that he will retire from Congress after just two full terms.

“After careful thought and consideration, I have decided not to seek re-election for the 21st Congressional District this November,” he wrote in a news release. “It has truly been a privilege to serve, and I plan on continuing to work for a brighter future for the region.”

Owens faced a somewhat competitive race against former Bush White House staffer Elise Stefanik. Republicans view the now-open seat in upstate New York as a potential pickup opportunity in 2014. In 2012, Owens won re-election with just 50 percent.

Last cycle, President Barack Obama carried the 21st District with 52 percent. The race was rated Democrat Favored by the Rothenberg Political Report/Roll Call, but that will change in light of Owen’s retirement.

Owens is the fifth House Democrat to announce their retirement. To see which other House members are retiring this cycle, check out Roll Call’s Casualty List.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Politics/Elections; US: New York
KEYWORDS: 2014election; 2014midterms; 2016election; billowens; dede; dedescozzafava; demagogicparty; doughoffman; election2014; election2016; elections; elisestefanik; newyork; newyorkcity; ny; ny2014; ny21; ny23; scozzafava
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Let's take yet another stroll down "moderate" republican memory lane! In 2009 this seat opened up. The NRCC got Dede Scozzafava to be the republican nominee against Owens. However, a conservative also decided to run (can't remember his name)

Well, when it was made clear that the race was between the conservative and the democrat, since she could not become a congresswoman, she then made sure that a conservative was not elected and endorsed the democrat.

For while we conservatives are always told to vote for "the lesser of two evils," i.e. that electing a moderate republican is far preferable to electing a democrat, to moderate republicans, the "lesser of two evils" is electing a democrat. Foe electing a democrat is far preferable to electing a horrible, horrible conservative.

This is the game and why any and every moderate republican must be removed from power and defeated by conservatives, for conservative republicans are republicans and moderate republicans are democrats.

This year we have a similar example in Dick Lugar, "moderate" former senator, endorsing the prospective democrat nominee in Georgia.

McConnell, Cornyn, Collins, Cochran, Roberts, Enzi, Graham are of this same frame of mind, and so they should be removed from power this November, one way or the other, for they are wolves in our fold.

1 posted on 01/14/2014 10:19:20 AM PST by cotton1706
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To: cotton1706

The democrat commies have taken over the GOP.


2 posted on 01/14/2014 10:32:30 AM PST by dragonblustar (Psalm 37:7 ~~~~~Obama is the 12th Iman~~~~~~~)
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To: cotton1706

Let’s hope a Tea Party conservative becomes the Republican nominee in this district this year. Each additional TP Representative is another nail in the coffin of the Boehner “leadership” team.


3 posted on 01/14/2014 10:33:58 AM PST by House Atreides
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To: cotton1706; Impy; fieldmarshaldj; BillyBoy

I recall my days up in Lake Placid for Doug Hoffman in NY-23 before anyone heard of Dede and Doug ... etc. We could see the potential ...

THIS IS BIG NEWS!!!! I AM SHOCKED


4 posted on 01/14/2014 10:38:45 AM PST by campaignPete R-CT (Let the dead bury the dead. Let the GOP bury the GOP.)
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To: cotton1706

Time for conservatives to man up and STAY HOME!!

The GOP establishment must have no doubt at all that they need conservatives more than we need them and their RINO Democrat enablers.

The GOP establishment has been playing chicken with conservatives for too long — betting that at the last minute, it’s the conservatives who will blink rather than lose a seat to the Democrats.

Well guess what? No more. If the GOP establishment wants to play chicken with us this time, they need to understand that they will lose.

This time, it needs to be the conservative motto — no voting for RINOs under any circumstances. If that means a repeat of 2008 with Democrat-controlled House, Senate and White House, so be it.


5 posted on 01/14/2014 10:40:43 AM PST by Maceman (Just say "NO" to tyranny.)
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To: cotton1706
Tea Party candidate Doug Hoffman. Effing Scozzafava dropped out of the race three freaking days before the election and endorsed the democrat Owens, who won by a mere 3500 votes.

Scozzafava got over 8000 in the election. A dark day for northern NYS.

6 posted on 01/14/2014 10:44:22 AM PST by onona (The Earth is the insane asylum for the universe (yup, I belong))
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To: Maceman

“Time for conservatives to man up and STAY HOME!!”

I and thousands like me here in MA left our ballots blank for US Senate last November. We were having none of the “lesser of two evils” game. And Scott Brown is now out of power. And we have one less traitor in our midst. Actually two, since we took out Dick Lugar last year too!


7 posted on 01/14/2014 10:44:40 AM PST by cotton1706
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To: cotton1706
I and thousands like me here in MA left our ballots blank for US Senate last November.

I know. I was one of them.

8 posted on 01/14/2014 10:55:48 AM PST by Maceman (Just say "NO" to tyranny.)
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To: Maceman

“I know. I was one of them.”

Good to hear!


9 posted on 01/14/2014 11:03:46 AM PST by cotton1706
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To: Maceman

Man up and stay home? (Are you a Democrat plant/troll?).

Never, we should WORK for the Conservative in the Primary then the Republican in the general election-that is unless of course you would like a second Barack Obama type administration (after these 8 years) because that’s where your (foolish) thinking leads..

Fight to GOP establishment in the Primary, not for DEFEAT in the general election.. (would you rather someone 75% of what you believe or 15%?).


10 posted on 01/14/2014 11:14:24 AM PST by JSDude1 (Defeat Hagan, elect a Constutional Conservative: Dr. Greg Brannon!)
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To: cotton1706

Some cut and paste from one of my old posts:

Just 17 members — about 10 percent of the GOP conference — have written checks to Scozzafava’s campaign. They include House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.), National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Chairman Pete Sessions (Texas) and Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who is in charge of recruiting candidates to run next year.
snip
In an effort to prove Scozzafava can attract conservatives, Sessions pushed Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) to step up and endorse her. After his announcement, Hensarling took shots from some prominent conservative blogs and media outlets, with some going so far as to lob unfounded charges about Hensarling’s personal life.
snip
Hensarling declined to be interviewed about his endorsement of Scozzafava. A spokesman said he had nothing to add to his statement, issued last Friday.
snip
Wednesday night, most of the House GOP leadership, including Boehner, Cantor, McCarthy, Sessions, conference Vice Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.) and conference Secretary John Carter (Texas) hosted a fundraiser for Scozzafava at the home of ex-Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-Conn.).”


11 posted on 01/14/2014 11:14:26 AM PST by ansel12
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To: Maceman

Not to mention of all the other races (local), governor, etc.. that YOU effect by staying home because YOU’RE Mad at that one candidate for a specific office:

If you don’t want to vote for a RINO in a general election, fine..

But do not punish good Conservative/Republicans in their local races because of your temper tantrum.


12 posted on 01/14/2014 11:17:10 AM PST by JSDude1 (Defeat Hagan, elect a Constutional Conservative: Dr. Greg Brannon!)
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To: dragonblustar

you got that right-

After the Republicans won the House in 1994-

There were over 500 former Democrats that were

WELCOMED into the GOP- (mostly state officials)

WHY would I want a SITTING DEMON rat to come across the Aisle? Because with Crime families, they some times work together


13 posted on 01/14/2014 11:19:59 AM PST by mj1234
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To: cotton1706

Has that silly Lugar moved to GA? I bet he stays mostly out of IN now.


14 posted on 01/14/2014 11:39:15 AM PST by Theodore R. (People in TX in 2014 cheer: Cornball and George P.!)
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To: JSDude1

And you are voting liberal...and part of the problem, not solution


15 posted on 01/14/2014 12:00:47 PM PST by SeminoleCounty (Amnesty And Not Ending ObamaCare Will Kill GOP In 2014)
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To: JSDude1
Never, we should WORK for the Conservative in the Primary then the Republican in the general election-that is unless of course you would like a second Barack Obama type administration (after these 8 years) because that’s where your (foolish) thinking leads..

Well, I agreed with you in 2008, and in 2012. And dutifully voted for McCain and Romney. And ya know what? We got OBAMA anyway!

The GOPe can always rig the nomination process -- if only by allowing open primaries. Then we get the moderate in the general.

The GOPe needs to understand that we are not playing this game anymore. Conservative or DIE is the message that the GOP needs to have.

You really think Hillary will lose against Chris Christy or Jeb Bush? Are you really going to play this game again?

And even if Christy or Bush did win, with a majority in both houses, do you really think that will save us from amnest, or the continuing growth of government and increase in the debt?

We are out of time -- conservatives need to go eyeball to eyeball with the GOP, which CANNOT win without the conservative vote, and the GOP must be made to blink this time and support truly conservative candidates.

The GOP has declared open warfare on the conservative base. We need to fight this war once and for all -- either we get real conservative candidates and a party infrastructure that supports them, or the GOP can go to Hell along with my beloved country that they have brought to destruction with their "moderation."

16 posted on 01/14/2014 12:02:07 PM PST by Maceman (Just say "NO" to tyranny.)
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To: JSDude1
Not to mention of all the other races (local), governor, etc.. that YOU effect by staying home because YOU’RE Mad at that one candidate for a specific office: If you don’t want to vote for a RINO in a general election, fine.. But do not punish good Conservative/Republicans in their local races because of your temper tantrum.

I am sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. I agree with you. Of course we should support good conservatives in the local races.

I was talking about the general election, and didn't necessarily mean that we should literally stay home if we have an opportunity to support good conservative candidates in the local races.

But I strongly believe that all conservatives should refuse to vote for ANY RINOs wherever they may appear on the ballot.

17 posted on 01/14/2014 12:05:36 PM PST by Maceman (Just say "NO" to tyranny.)
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To: Maceman

YEP. yer right.

of course, the majority are RINOs. So ex-Speaker Bill O’Brien of NH-2 was determined to be somewhat RINO and got little support and dropped out his race .... leaving it to more genuine RINO Lambert ...

Imholt MA-3 and Dubrule MA-2 have RINO characteristics, too, and rubbed off on Frank Addivinola.

Ayotte needs to lose. And forget about beating Shaheen.


18 posted on 01/14/2014 12:50:32 PM PST by campaignPete R-CT (Let the dead bury the dead. Let the GOP bury the GOP.)
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To: SeminoleCounty

No one doubts that what we have been doing isn’t working, however the goal is to get a better caliber of politician in actual positions of power (and finally reduce the socialist federal government), the question one should ask is: Is my support of this candidate going to lead to MORE or LESS government.

In some cases it makes sense to vote for a RINO in others it does not. One should ask themselves these questions: 1) Is this is a primary election: Then vote/support/work for the most conservative candidate.

2) If this is a general election and a RINO/Establishment candidate has won, then A) Are the an incumbent with a record of betraying conservative principles (and/or the Republican Party platform) then maybe we shouldn’t vote for them..

B) Are they though perceived as an Establishment candidate, a first (or second termer) who at least (since you only have their word) promises to vote conservatively: then support them.

C) IS THE OPPOSTION SO BAD (Is this Democrat so bad) that he’ll make my life CRAP!?) Probably should hold your nose..then when the RINO/Gop-E wins hold their *SS to the fire!


19 posted on 01/14/2014 2:17:52 PM PST by JSDude1 (Defeat Hagan, elect a Constutional Conservative: Dr. Greg Brannon!)
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To: cotton1706; fieldmarshaldj; AuH2ORepublican; randita; BillyBoy
The NRCC got Dede Scozzafava to be the republican nominee against Owens.

LOCAL party bosses appointed her to the nomination, the NRCC had nothing to do with it.

Anyway, good news. Another surprise retirement.

20 posted on 01/15/2014 9:48:37 PM PST by Impy (RED=COMMUNIST, NOT REPUBLICAN)
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