UPDATE: Ovide, Horn, and Ayotte for Hoffman in NY-23
October 30, 2009As everyone is probably aware by now, there is a little special election that is happening next Tuesday in Upstate New York, which is pitting a moderate Republican against a Republican turned Conservative party member and Democrat. Going into the final weekend of the campaign polling suggests that it is a race between Doug Hoffman (C) and Bill Owen (D), leaving Dede Scozzafava (R). At this time it appears to be a dead heat going into election day.
While Scozzafava has dropped, Republicans have been flocking to Hoffman including potential 2012 Pres candidates Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) and Sarah Palin (R-AK) and scores of Republican Members of Congress. Although the nail in the coffin may have come from former NY Gov. George Pataki who is still popular in that area of the state.
Interestingly enough some in NH have also weighed in on the race in a prelude to how their respective campaigns may develop.
Yesterday’s Fix from the Washington Post had the following from Team Ovide:
. . . As Conservatives (Continue) to Flock to Hoffman . . .: Hoffman’s candidacy continued to win support from conservatives across the country on Tuesday including New Hampshire businessman Ovide Lamontagne (R) who is considering a Senate primary challenge to establishment backed former secretary of state [sic] Kelly Ayotte (R). “If Republicans are going to take back Congress and enact real reform, we need to elect independent conservative leaders instead of the establishment’s hand picked favorites,” said Charlie Spies, a D.C.-based lawyer who is advising Lamontagne.
And NH Political Report has Jennifer Horn also backing Hoffman:
“Certainly Republicans in New York’s 23rd are expressing a strong sense the pro-choice, pro-big government, pro-tax increase, NRCC-endorsed candidate is not their candidate,” said Horn in an interview. “”I do think we will see this dynamic unfold in my race. People are tired of having Washington tell them what to do, whether it is what health insurance to have, how to spend their money or who to vote for.”
Horn, the 2008 Republican nominee in the Second Congressional District, announced earlier this month that she is running again. But this time she will potentially face a Republican primary against former Congressman Charlie Bass. Bass is a self proclaimed moderate is pro-choice. The NRCC sent an e-mail last week implying their support of him.
To me it looks like both Horn and Lamontagne are looking to flank their potential opponents on the Right in a primary. While NH is not exactly like NY-23, it will be interesting to see what impact the outcome of NY-23 has on NH races.
A few questions:
Does this decision help or hurt Horn and Ovide?
How will this impact the race? How will the NJ and VA Gov (and down ballot races) impact NH in 2010? Will city elections in Manchester and Nashua have an even bigger impact?
UPDATE:
This afternoon Pindell over at NH Political Report has the following from Team Ayotte:
“As I travel across our state on the campaign trail, I have said we must stand up for fiscal sanity in Washington, we must have pro-growth economic policies that will create jobs,” Ayotte said in a statement to NHPoliticalReport.com. “Because of that, I endorse Doug Hoffman.”
Tweets that mention RedHampshire.com » Ovide and Horn for Hoffman in NY-23 -- Topsy.com
Oct 30, 2009
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Red Hampshire, Matt Suermann. Matt Suermann said: Just posted: "RedHampshire.com » Ovide and Horn for Hoffman in NY-23" (http://twitthis.com/lh9d99) [...]
Thom Simmons
Oct 30, 2009
Horn and Ovide have just lost any chance of my support. They should mind their own business, because neither understands the politics of NY’s 23 CD.
New Hampshire
Oct 30, 2009
Doesn’t matter… Bob Giuda is “da man” for District 2!
Simmons is not a Republican folks… so… pay no mind to what he says.
Grant Bosse
Oct 30, 2009
NY 23 is what happens when you don’t have a primary. It’s smart politics for Horn and Lamontagne to whine about Washington, but it’s still whining. Washington didn’t pick Scozzafava; the local party did. It seems like a stupid decision, but the NRCC didn’t make it.
And the national Republican organizations couldn’t influence a New Hampshire primary if they tried. I certainly don’t remember Jennifer complaining about NRCC interference last year. Bob complained a lot, claiming that Horn was the Washington-favored candidate. Just a silly, irrelevant issue then, and a silly, irrelevant issue now.
Run your own campaign, and stop worrying about how many calls your competitors are getting from DC.
Thom Simmons
Oct 30, 2009
Dear Anonymous New Hampshire,
Please prove your assertion, and have the cojones to reveal who you are.
This should be fun. I *am* verymuch a Republican, actually. Here are my credentials, going back some time:
Presdient, Hofstra University College Republicans
Secretary of the New York State Young Republicans.
Secretary of the Young Republican National Federation.
Republican Committeeman, 18AD/15ED, New York (inherited from my father and grandfather before me)
Headquarters Coordinator, Lent for Congress (Rep), 4th CD-NY.
Campaign Coordinator, LeBoutillier for Congress (Rep), 6 CD-NY.
New York Advance Team, Reagan for President Campaign
Chairman, Tisbury Town Republican Committee, Tisbury, Massachusetts
Delegate, Republican State Nominating Convention, Massachusetts
Republican Candidate Statehouse, Cheshire-6, Fitzwilliam-Rindge NH
Publisher, Tully’s Page, a Republican Blog.
So please, tell me again how I’m not a Republican. I’m dying to hear this.
nhprman
Oct 31, 2009
The so-called Republican in the NY-23 is a rather extreme example of an Obama Republican, who supports his horrendous spending policies.
Thom: Your blog shows that you’re a pro-pot, pro-gay marriage Libertarian. Hardly a Republican in any true sense.
These two extremes – a complete economic Liberal and a complete Liberaltarian – illustrate PERFECTLY the threat the GOP is under right now. It’s being torn between libertine extremism on the one hand and reckless economic liberalism on the other. If we adopt either side, rather than choosing the sane conservative middle course, we’re DOOMED in 2010.
Thom Simmons
Oct 31, 2009
That would be a philosophical libertarian within the Republican Party. You’re right: I favor ending Prohibition and I favor Marriage Equality. I embrace the Republican principles of individual responsibility, and liberty, and Federalism in the truest senses of those words.
I’m not quite what you mean by Economic Liberal, unless you mean in it its classic sense: I prefer user fees to taxes, believe that current taxes are too high, want to eliminate the corporate income tax, believe government should get out of Markets, opposed the Bailouts, and believe in transitioning towards privatized social security. I’m one of three teachers who has exercised my right NOT to join the teacher’s union at my school, and oppose government health care with vengeance. I’m also a defender of the 2nd Amendment (along with the others).
Please explain how I am not “Republican Enough” for you.
NH.Steve
Nov 1, 2009
To object to the politics of favoring a candidate who has expressed an intrest in restricting federal control over the states suggests that you favor the opposite.
If you prefer candidates who favor top down control, you will find it difficult to be much of anything, regardless of party, except a stooge of the Federal government.
Thom Simmons
Nov 1, 2009
Excuse me, this thread began with the issue of out-of-state candidates involving themselves in a local campaign by supporting an out-of-district candidate, against a Republican who was elected as a Republican for multiple terms in the NYS Assembly, and then chosen by local Republican leaders to fill a special election.
If anyone is confused about federalism here, it’s the Alaskans and Minnesotans and Granite Staters who think they know what is best for the 23rd CD of New York then local Republican there do.
NH.Steve
Nov 1, 2009
We’re not trying to affect a state race. This is a federal level candidate.
So while I’d like to say that each congressman goes to DC to defend their particular state from the power of the federal government, that’s just not the case. Congressman and Senators have the ability to affect federal limits on every states power, and in the current environment, where the federal government has designs on power that would rob every state of its rights, this is exactly the time to stand up to a pretender like Scozzafave.
To protect states rights.
Having said that, after dropping out “republican” Scozzafave–endorsed Democrat Bill Owens in NY-23.
NH.Steve
Nov 2, 2009
By the way the national GOP party ATM’s tossed around 900,000 dollars to Scozzafava, some of it to attack Hoffman. That sounds like an endorsement to me.
This is why I (and many others) do not donate to the NRCC and NSC or the national GOP. I donate to the candidates directly.