Brain-Jockey

Power Comes Back To The People–The NY-23 Race (Appended)

Written by Audrie Zettick on November 1, 2009

If you haven’t already heard, the much ballyhooed NY 23rd district congressional race just became more interesting.  Party boss-backed Dede Scozzafava, a moderate to liberal Republican, withdrew from the race with 72 hours to go. (See her note from her campaign site here).  GOP Chair Michael Steele is now throwing resources behind Doug Hoffman, the Conservative Party candidate who, with Scozzafava in the race, was neck and neck in the polls with Democrat Bill Owens.

 

In a CYA move, Newt Gingrich has been quoted as saying ““the age of party leaders picking people is over.”  Supposedly he’s alluding to the fact that Scozzafava was selected by GOP County party chairmen.  Yeah.  Like his endorsing her wasn’t more of the same.  Newt’s nonsensical endorsement came only after Dede grudgingly agreed to sign a pledge not to raise taxes–and in spite of a record of voting for higher taxes, and being actively against even any small measure to limit abortion, among other issues.

 

As Ethan Demme of Keystone Conservative points out, Hoffman’s not the strongest candidate. (He has a great recap of the issue and links to other strong articles here).  As a former Congressional candidate and former county elected official myself, I’d have to agree.  Yet, if I were living in NY, I’d be in the position to have to support Hoffman as well, for reasons that surpass where he is on any one issue.

 

I support people who have a generally principled approach to decision making that is founded in the rule of law and a commitment toward limited government.  My conservative tendencies are often balanced with libertarian ones–thus I have supported people who may not pass the ultimate socially-conservative litmus tests– as long as they are not rabidly liberal, believe in personal responsibility and demonstrate in some way that human life is, let’s say, at least as valuable if not more so than snail darters or polar bears. With the candidacy of Scozzafava, people who are either fiscally or socially conservative were forced to seek another alternative.  

 

If the Democrat wins (or if Hoffman–who still has to prove himself–can’t hold on to the seat past one term) I won’t be blaming either the conservatives who supported him nor Scozzafava.  The fault will lie strictly with the GOP power structure in New York, who botched the election by making a backroom candidate selection and, more importantly, watering down GOP values by offering a candidate who almost ran for Congress as a democrat.

 

Addendum: I originally wrote this blog post on late Saturday night 10/31 and posted after midnight.  Now we find that Scozzafava endorsed the Democrat.  Why is anyone surprised?