Unlike many conservatives, I am supportive of the "big tent" concept; I understand that Republicans in purple or blue states need to appeal to a more diverse, independent or moderate voter base and project a more flexible, pragmatic, less ideological point of view. I believe in the free market of ideas, and I do think that Republicans who criticize Democrats over things like litmus-test evaluations of judicial nominees should set a good example of authentic tolerance versus progressive diversity doublespeak, e.g., by the Obama Administration, in its morally outrageous attempt to marginalize Fox News. The most glaring example of progressive single-issue intolerance is the 2006 move by Connecticut Democrats to deny Senate renomination of former 2000 Vice Presidential nominee Joe Lieberman over his principled stand on Iraq.
I would have liked to back Ms. Scozzafava, as have former Speaker Newt Gingrich, an unquestioned conservative, and the GOP leadership. Gingrich notes that Scozzafava opposed the Obama health care "reform" and the Democrat cap-and-trade legislation (an implicit new energy tax) and worries that a dispute between Republicans and Conservatives (Hoffman is the Conservative Party nominee) may split the vote, enabling liberal Democrat Owens to win the seat by default. The problem I have is that there is no question that the national policy positions of Scozzafava are to the left of former Representative McHugh's own political positions. Congressman McHugh has a lifetime American Conservative Union voting record of 71%, substantially higher than prototypical liberal Republicans, e.g., the Maine U.S. Senators. Even though McHugh's district stood to gain by passing of the $787B stimulus package, McHugh voted against it. In contrast, Scozzafava has supported the stimulus package, so-called gay marriage, cap-and-trade, pro-abortion choice, and union card check. What media conservatives in particular have noted is the unusual support (from a conservative's standpoint) she's attracted to her campaign, including union endorsements and the prominent left-wing portal Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas; in other campaigns, she has been endorsed by the Working Families Party, which promotes progressive causes like a "living wage", rent controls, "real tax solutions" (i.e., soak the rich), more public transit subsidies, and Obama's "green jobs" economic utopia.
Whereas Sarah Palin's prescient endorsement of Doug Hoffman brought the race under the national spotlight (others prominent Republicans, including Minnesota Governor Pawlenty, former Senator Fred Thompson, and former Senator Santorum, have endorsed Hoffman as well), Scozzafava's nomination was clearly out of touch with the views of most Republicans (not one of the House Republicans supported the stimulus package) and even a number of independents and moderates, whom are clearly experiencing voter's remorse just 9 months into Obama's term in office. You have a solidly Republican district which has not gone Democratic since 1871, and the GOP leadership chose a social liberal whom has taken positions on multiple issues against the Republican mainstream in Congress? You have the two parties nominating center-left candidates with only a blurred distinction on positions.
Most notably, former multi-term NY moderate Republican Governor George Pataki, widely expected to seek the Senate seat now held by Kirsten Gillibrand next year, has now endorsed Hoffman:
Even the Daily Kos polls of the race show that over the past 2 weeks, there has been a clear shift of at least 8 points in favor Hoffman, almost entirely out of Scozzafava's support; the momentum is clearly with Hoffman, and realclearpolitics shows Hoffman now leading in 2 of the last 3 polls, with Scozzafava now running well behind Owens. I don't see how Scozzafava pulls this out; personally, I think she should withdraw to ensure the GOP retains the seat. However, I think Scozzafava's support to continue to erode as it becomes clear to GOP voters headed for the polls she can't win. As a Maryland voter, I can't vote in the race, but I do support Doug Hoffman.
I would have liked to back Ms. Scozzafava, as have former Speaker Newt Gingrich, an unquestioned conservative, and the GOP leadership. Gingrich notes that Scozzafava opposed the Obama health care "reform" and the Democrat cap-and-trade legislation (an implicit new energy tax) and worries that a dispute between Republicans and Conservatives (Hoffman is the Conservative Party nominee) may split the vote, enabling liberal Democrat Owens to win the seat by default. The problem I have is that there is no question that the national policy positions of Scozzafava are to the left of former Representative McHugh's own political positions. Congressman McHugh has a lifetime American Conservative Union voting record of 71%, substantially higher than prototypical liberal Republicans, e.g., the Maine U.S. Senators. Even though McHugh's district stood to gain by passing of the $787B stimulus package, McHugh voted against it. In contrast, Scozzafava has supported the stimulus package, so-called gay marriage, cap-and-trade, pro-abortion choice, and union card check. What media conservatives in particular have noted is the unusual support (from a conservative's standpoint) she's attracted to her campaign, including union endorsements and the prominent left-wing portal Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas; in other campaigns, she has been endorsed by the Working Families Party, which promotes progressive causes like a "living wage", rent controls, "real tax solutions" (i.e., soak the rich), more public transit subsidies, and Obama's "green jobs" economic utopia.
Whereas Sarah Palin's prescient endorsement of Doug Hoffman brought the race under the national spotlight (others prominent Republicans, including Minnesota Governor Pawlenty, former Senator Fred Thompson, and former Senator Santorum, have endorsed Hoffman as well), Scozzafava's nomination was clearly out of touch with the views of most Republicans (not one of the House Republicans supported the stimulus package) and even a number of independents and moderates, whom are clearly experiencing voter's remorse just 9 months into Obama's term in office. You have a solidly Republican district which has not gone Democratic since 1871, and the GOP leadership chose a social liberal whom has taken positions on multiple issues against the Republican mainstream in Congress? You have the two parties nominating center-left candidates with only a blurred distinction on positions.
Most notably, former multi-term NY moderate Republican Governor George Pataki, widely expected to seek the Senate seat now held by Kirsten Gillibrand next year, has now endorsed Hoffman:
Simply put, we cannot afford to give another vote to Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, we cannot afford another vote for higher taxes, we cannot afford another vote for government-run health care, and we absolutely cannot afford another vote to take away from hard-working men and women the right to secret ballot.Predictably, the Watertown Daily Times has endorsed Scozzafava, applying what I call the Sally Brown critique of Doug Hoffman. (Little sister Sally, in the classic Charlie Brown Christmas special, famously says, "All I want is what's coming to me. All I want is my fair share.") Hoffman has a McCain-like disdain of Congressional pork, and the newspaper editors are clearly worried that the northern district won't feed at the federal teat if a legitimate, principled conservative is elected.
Even the Daily Kos polls of the race show that over the past 2 weeks, there has been a clear shift of at least 8 points in favor Hoffman, almost entirely out of Scozzafava's support; the momentum is clearly with Hoffman, and realclearpolitics shows Hoffman now leading in 2 of the last 3 polls, with Scozzafava now running well behind Owens. I don't see how Scozzafava pulls this out; personally, I think she should withdraw to ensure the GOP retains the seat. However, I think Scozzafava's support to continue to erode as it becomes clear to GOP voters headed for the polls she can't win. As a Maryland voter, I can't vote in the race, but I do support Doug Hoffman.
