So, what to make of the results of last night’s NY-23 election in which Conservative candidate Doug Hoffman lost to his Democrat opponent?
Michelle Malkin nails it in these well chosen words:
“Hoffman may have lost narrowly, but NY-23 is a much broader victory for conservatives who believe the Republican Party should stand for core limited government principles. Scozzafava, who was endorsed by far Left blogger Markos Moulitsas Zuniga and backed by Planned Parenthood, the National Education Association, and card-check-promoting trade unions, was denied the congressional seat because movement conservatives refused to support Arlen Specter in a skirt. This is a victory of principle.
Better a donkey in office that acts like a donkey than a donkey in elephant’s clothing making a complete ass of the GOP.
Moreover, NY-23 is a victory for conservatives who refuse to be marginalized in the public square by either the unhinged left or the establishment right. A humble accountant from upstate New York exposed the hypocrisy of GOP leaders trying to solicit funds from conservatives by lambasting Pelosi and the Dems’ support for high taxes, Big Labor, and bigger government — while using conservatives’ money to subsidize a high-taxing, Big Labor-pandering, bigger government radical. The repercussions will be felt well beyond NY-23’s borders. Conservatives’ disgust with the status quo has been heard and felt. They have been silent too long. They will be silent no more.
The GOP leadership knows it cannot afford to rest on its laurels, continue business as usual, and bask in yesterday’s electoral victories without confronting its abysmal abdication of principled conservative leadership in NY-23.
As Hoffman said in his concession speech, “This is only one fight in the battle.”
Onward. Upward. Rightward.”
Read the whole thing, including her accompanying syndicated column. It positively sizzles.
I live right outside the 23rd district (madison county is a couple miles from my house) and lived in watertown (in the district) for over 6 years. I think everyone has overblown this race. The district depends on all that federal money (which comes from taxes, right?)-for it’s giant military base and it’s underdeveloped economy. There are a LOT of people there on public assistance. Foodstamps, TANF, HEAP, SS, Medicaid you name it-it’s the epicenter for the northeast’s poor, not to mention summer home to thousands of snowbirds from florida (who don’t pay taxes here, but use our parks, roads, hospitals etc).
Hoffman was a man of many contradictions. I do find it strange that Hoffman said he opposed earmarks but then told the head of Oneida healthcare that he’d make sure money came from Washington to his hospital in the district.
A millionaire like Hoffman (or Owens) doesn’t represent these folks. A lot of these folks can’t afford to heat their homes (it was in the 30s at night all week).
Keep putting up candidates like Hoffman up with carpetbagger endorsers with money and they’ll keep losing. BTW Hoffman wasn’t too keen on the bread and butter issues that mattered to folks there.
http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20091023/OPINION01/310239957/-1/OPINION
Hoffman was part of the process of the GOP “bosses” choosing a candidate and when he didn’t win he bolted and ran against the party in the district. This should have been an easy win for the GOP, Republicans outnumber Dems in the district by 40,000! John McHugh (R) easily won multiple terms in the district before he went work at the Pentagon.
P.S.
Army Secretary John Mchugh has done a bangup job dealing with the media and situation in Fort Hood, since this was the district he recently vacated (I guess he was a RINO too, but a decent human being)
You are the ones that made an ass out of the GOP.
Just sayin’…