BREAKING: Scozzafava suspends NY-23 Congressional campaign, releases supporters
In an email message from from her campaign, NY Assembly representative Dede Scozzafava, Republican of Gouverneur, released her supporters without endorsing either of the two other candidates in the 23rd congressional district special election coming up on Tuesday. Her statement follows:
Dear Friends and Supporters:
Throughout the course of my campaign for Congress, I have made the people of the 23rd District and the issues that affect them the focal point of my campaign. As a life long resident of this District, I care deeply and passionately about its people and our way of life. Whether as a candidate for Congress, a State Assemblywoman or a small town Mayor, I have always sought to act with the best interest of our District and its residents in mind —and today I again seek to act for the good of our community.
The opportunity to run as the Republican and Independence Party candidate to represent the 23rd District has been and remains one of the greatest honors of my life. During the past several months, as I've traveled the district, meeting and talking with voters about the issues that matter most to them, I've been overwhelmed by the amount of support I've received as I sought to serve as their voice in Washington. However, as Winston Churchill once said, Democracy can be a fickle employer, and the road to public office is not always a smooth one.
In recent days, polls have indicated that my chances of winning this election are not as strong as we would like them to be. The reality that I've come to accept is that in today's political arena, you must be able to back up your message with money — and as I've been outspent on both sides, I've been unable to effectively address many of the charges that have been made about my record. But as I've said from the start of this campaign, this election is not about me, it's about the people of this District. And, as always, today I will do what I believe serves their interests best.
It is increasingly clear that pressure is mounting on many of my supporters to shift their support. Consequently, I hereby release those individuals who have endorsed and supported my campaign to transfer their support as they see fit to do so. I am and have always been a proud Republican. It is my hope that with my actions today, my Party will emerge stronger and our District and our nation can take an important step towards restoring the enduring strength and economic prosperity that has defined us for generations.
On Election Day my name will appear on the ballot, but victory is unlikely. To those who support me — and to those who choose not to — I offer my sincerest thanks.
Labels: election09
posted by Dale Hobson @ 10/31/2009 11:36:00 AM
15 Comments
15 Comments:
It seems DeDe was driven out of the race by the rabid right wing of the Republican party that represents less than 20% of the population in this country. I hope moderate Republicans will think twice before voting for Hoffman. He doesn't represent the values of the majority of voters, and he will be instantly alienated once he reaches Washington. You can kiss Ft. Drum and most federal aid to the north country good bye. He'll be as ineffective as a congressman could possibly be in Washington. If Hoffman succeeds because of all this, we'll be a forgotten territory. We'll truly become a backwater of national politics. And, if we elect Hoffman, quite frankly we'll get what we deserve.
Well, now we've gone to choosing the "lesser of two evils". I'll certainly vote for Owens, but not enthusiastically. I honestly felt that Dede Scozzafava was the only one of the three that had the experience and a genuine understanding of North Country resident's needs and concerns. I will admit that her handling of the campaign left me concerned but I felt she could rise to the challenge in Washington. I'm afraid it is the opposite with Doug Hoffman - slick campaign (thanks to out-of-town influence) but I don't see him having a handle on anything in Washington... but that won't matter since he will be manipulated by the same folks that controlled his campaign. A Hoffman representation will be just as Anonymous 11:58 has indicated. It's hard to imagine we could possibly go from John McHugh to Doug Hoffman - there is absolutely no comparison.
So, I'll grit my teeth and vote for Owens, once again voting for the lesser of two evils. It's frustrating.
I was just checking in on some of the major papers who seem to think that this will mean a win for Hoffman. It never occurred to me that we could be worse off than we were with McHugh. It means a step backward for all of us in the North Country. His stand on health care is that we can't do everything at once. At once? We've been waiting a half century for healthcare. And when it comes to gay rights, he says he doesn't want to persecute anyone, but....
Yay!
The South's gonna win!
Can everybody gimme a rebel yell??!!!
What a bunch of garbage. What? You people can't find the column for Dede Tuesday? You need help? It'll be the one with all the Republicans in it.
I think maybe Dede realized she wasn't getting the support from her base. While I'll always like her personally, she isn't a Republican, much less a conservative.
Cry doom and gloom if you want. I didn't see where McHugh did all that much for the North Country. Ft Drum will remain because the 10th and the base WORK. They fit into todays paradigm.
Federal aid? Boo hoo! News flash friend- Federal aid is going down the tubes because we can't afford it anymore! Health Care? Another sociaist idea that we simply can't afford. Buckle down and go to work folks. Spend less, save more, make do or do without. That's what 80 years of "Big Governemnt" has brought us.
Welcome to "The Great Society".
This not a slam dunk for Hoffman at this point. I would be surprised if Dede endorses him after he broke his word about running. Part of McHugh's and Dede's support has been union backing. It is hard to imagine that the unions wills choose HOffman over Owens at this time. Whether they can pivot and use their resources to support Owen is hard to know. On the plus side Dede will be in the assembly long after NY-23 is reapportioned out of existence.
Inexplicable! After the vicious treatment she received from Hoffman's campaign, she virtually hands him the seat. Why could she have stayed at least putatively active for 3 more days?
The race is over, and Owens who is in fact the best qualified candidate will surely win. It is the best outcome- and were Hoffman to have squeaked in prior to DeDe's departure the distict would never have survived redistricting anyway- Citizens win, and DeDe is to be congratulated for her dignified and hard fought campaign.
Hey Bret, what exactly do you think Hoffman is going to be able to do in congress? NOTHING, they might let him sharpen the pencils or something, other than that he's going to be told to vote no when the democrats pass legislation, and that will be the extent of it. He'll be a waste of taxpayer money, period.
Regardless of how Owens and Hoffman got to their respective positions the facts remain unchanged - this is a race between a Tax & Spend Liberal and a Fiscal Conservative. People need to get over the process and vote for what they believe in - more government or fiscal restraint. Personally I can not advocate more government, more debt and the requisite loss of personal freedoms that go along with those problems. Regardless of how this race ends, it has been very entertaining political theater.
"Buckle down and go to work folks. Spend less, save more, make do or do without."
You're right, Bret. I'm going to adopt your attitude. I'm planning to do without a job (cuz there aren't any), insurance (family member's got a pre-existing) and whatever savings I have left. Then I'll do the responsible thing, fiscally, which is kill myself so my family members can live for a five years or so off the life insurance.
Because it's the responsible thing to do.
Sad to say anonymous...if you kill yourself, your family gets nada from insurance. I know it was all tongue in cheek ...gallows humour in a desperate time.
How wonderful that Palin rode in on her broomstick to muddy the waters. Why not show her and the rabid right that this kind of politics won't fly in the North Country.
Vote anyone but Hoffman.
Gromit - I don't think Dede has handed this to HOffman by any means. I suspect Scozzafava and Owens were splitting certains votes, such as union support. For example, there are 33000 NYSUT voters in NY-23. How many do you think will support Hoffman? Union support was a big part of the McHugh coalition. It isn't clear someone can win without it. Today's WDT made a big point of Hoffman offending the unions.
The race is over, and Owens who is in fact the best qualified candidate will surely win. It is the best outcome- and were Hoffman to have squeaked in prior to DeDe's departure the distict would never have survived redistricting anyway- Citizens win, and DeDe is to be congratulated for her dignified and hard fought campaign.
October 31, 2009 1:37 PM
Anonymous Anonymous said...
"Hey Bret, what exactly do you think Hoffman is going to be able to do in congress? NOTHING, they might let him sharpen the pencils or something, other than that he's going to be told to vote no when the democrats pass legislation, and that will be the extent of it. He'll be a waste of taxpayer money, period.
October 31, 2009 1:39 PM"
One Congresscritter at a time. It won;t change overnight and certainly won;t change if we continue on with tax and spend Republicrats.
For the rest that want off themselves over this- what makes you think Dede or Owens would have made it any better? It's just more of the same with them.
dede has a lot of class. unlike hoffman
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