Free Republic

Former U.S. speed skater Bridie Farrell has ended her campaign for New York’s 21st congressional district. She made the announcement on Twitter on Friday. “After reviewing the new district maps, I’ve decided to end my race for the U.S. House of Representatives in NY’s 21st district,” said Farrell in a tweet. Farrell, who was running as a democrat, was challenging incumbent Elise Stefanik. On the Republican side, Stefanik is being challenged by Lonny Koons. “Thank you for your support and involvement in the political process. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are too valuable. Leaving this race isn’t the...

Conservative Party congressional candidate Doug Hoffman in upstate New York (the district borders Canada and Vermont) has less than 2 weeks to get out of 3rd place in the 3-candidate race. He needs money and organization. The Susan B. Anthony List organization, which backs pro-life women candidates, sent six staffers to help Hoffman in his race against Republican Dede Scozzafava and Democrat Bill Owens. It is spending $300,000 on his candidacy, the New York Daily News reported. Within 24 hours of Sarah Palin’s announcement that she backs the conservative, Hoffman raised $116,000 online — $210,000 for the week.

Being a fan of the British actor Sean Bean ever since he did the Sharpe series, I do try to catch his movies on the big screen, no matter what the subject matter. This led me into the theater this weekend to see North Country, a film loosely based on the first class action sexual harassment suit, brought by female miners from Minnesota’s Iron Range. As a native of St. Paul who spent each summer of her youth in the far north, North Country was about what I expected, right down to a couple of over-the-top Minnesota accents among the...