New York Republican Urges Supporters To Vote For The Democrat

by Rory Cripps | November 1, 2009 at 04:39 pm

232 views | 36 Recommendations | 21 comments

Dierdre "Dede" Scozzafava, Republican, who bowed out of New York's 23rd District congressional race, on Saturday, has thrown her support to Democrat Bill Owens.

Today she released the following statement:

"I want to thank you for your support and friendship. Over the past 24 hours, I have had encouraging words sent to my family and me. Many of you have asked me whom you should support on Tuesday.

Since announcing the suspension of my campaign, I have thought long and hard about what is best for the people of this District, and how to answer your questions. This is not a decision that I have made lightly.

You know me, and throughout my career, I have been always been an independent voice for the people I represent. I have stood for our honest principles, and a truthful discussion of the issues, even when it cost me personally and politically. Since beginning my campaign, I have told you that this election is not about me; it's about the people of this District.

It is in this spirit that I am writing to let you know I am supporting Bill Owens for Congress and urge you to do the same . . . ."

After bowing out of the race, on Saturday, Scozzafava met with U.S. Rep. Steve Israel, D-Huntington, and state Democratic Committee Chairwoman June F. O'Neill. She also spoke with Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y.. Senator Schumer also contacted a number of Democratic leaders including White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel regarding the situation.

The moderate Republican who suddenly abandoned her campaign in an Upstate New York Congressional race that has exposed deep divisions in the Republican Party urged her supporters on Sunday to vote for the Democratic candidate — a surprising act of defiance that added another unexpected twist to the closely watched race.

Dede Scozzafava, who stunned her Republican colleagues on Saturday when she said she was suspending her campaign because it appeared increasingly unlikely she would not prevail, said Bill Owens, the Democrat in the race, was the strongest candidate.

“In Bill Owens, I see a sense of duty and integrity that will guide him beyond political partisanship,” Ms. Scozzafava said in a statement released Sunday afternoon. “He will be an independent voice devoted to doing what is right for New York. Bill understands this district and its people, and when he represents us in Congress he will put our interests first,”

Ms. Scozzafava had been under siege from conservative leaders because she supports gay rights and abortion rights and was considered too liberal on various fiscal issues.

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Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 21:05 on November 1st, 2009

LOL talk about political interference. All the heavy hitters

nanute

at 02:30 on November 2nd, 2009

I sorry ACP I don't see your point.

Hugh Askew

at 05:11 on November 2nd, 2009

Is she just really, really angry at the conservatives that opposed her?

Or is it that her ideas and positions, are closer to that of the Democrats, than to the conservatives?

From this, and nanute's previous (and revised) article, i'm left to presume that she is just too far left for the conservatives to stomach.

Perhaps she could enter future contests as a Blue-Dog?

nanute

at 05:27 on November 2nd, 2009

Nope. She just isn't pure enough under the current ideological litmus tests being conducted by the far right. Can't be a pro choice Republican. Can't be a supporter of gay rights and be a Republican. Not permitted under the new authoritarian purge.

Rory Cripps

at 05:51 on November 2nd, 2009

nanute: And on the other side of the coin: is she pure enough under the current ideological litmus tests being conducted by the far left?

nanute

at 10:08 on November 2nd, 2009

I have no idea what your talking about.I haven't noticed anyone on the Democratic side of the aisle being purged recently. Help me out, I'm sure you'll come up with something. Scozzafavva, on the other hand, been purged by her fellow Republicans and the Conservative Party of NY for not being ideologically myopic. Here's a little something that you might have missed:

When news of the Scozzafava nomination spread throughout the Republicans in the 23rd District, the reaction varied from lukewarm enthusiasm to outright disdain. One of those deeply troubled by the nomination was Saranac Lake accountant Doug Hoffman. Hoffman had been one of the nine candidates who had sought the Republican nomination, and he had not fared well in the process. Though intelligent, well respected, and an uncompromising ideological conservative, Hoffman wasn't much of a stump speaker. He was new to the political process, and his lack of polish showed.

Despite having signed a pledge to support the eventual nominee to emerge from the process, Hoffman considered the possibility of asking for the Conservative Party's endorsement to run against Scozzafavva, making it a three way race.

Rory Cripps

at 10:26 on November 2nd, 2009

nanute: you were talking about a litmus test were you not?

nanute

at 10:46 on November 2nd, 2009

We've got DINO"s and Blue Dogs, you've got a dying breed called RINO"s and a new breed I'm going to dub WHINOS. ha!

Rory Cripps

at 15:48 on November 2nd, 2009

nanute:

" . . . .you've got a dying breed called RINO"s . . . ."

I hope that you're not including me when you say "you've"! I'm just a political observer that sits back and watches the various characters on the political scene. If a Republican gets elected in 2012, I'll be just as critical as I've been with Obama. If you can dig up any glowing comments, on my part, about Bush, I'd like to see them. In regard to actions on the part of American politicians, in general, sometimes I laugh and sometimes I want to cry-- or perhaps throw up. I gave up on political parties and politicians years ago.None of them work for me and none of them work for the American people . . . .

Dr. Cripps,

Proud (small "r") republican

P.S. What about those Federalist Papers, Huh!

nanute

at 01:25 on November 3rd, 2009

I thought you were a Republican. I didn't know you stopped participating in the voting process.

Rory Cripps

at 14:27 on November 3rd, 2009

nanute: At one point (long ago) I was a registered Democrat. At another point I was an Independent. However, I registered as a Republican way back when and I'm still a registered Republican. But the fact that I'm a registered Republican is meaningless. The only benefit to being a registered Republican or Democrat is that one can vote in the primaries. I could just as well register as a Democrat because it wouldn't matter in my case. In my opinion, both political parties have their pros and cons. I don't want to live in a country ruled by a bunch of politically correct socialists that would like nothing better than to put restrictions on free speech and pass thought-crime legislation. On the other hand, I don't want to live in a country ruled by a bunch of straight-laced religious zealots that would like nothing better than to put restrictions on free speech and pass thought-crime legislation. The only difference between the two is their ideology. They both want to control what people say and do . . . .

Hugh Askew

at 02:03 on November 3rd, 2009

The Party with the big tent may have the Bluedogs, but The Party with the big tent has decided to punish those that refuse to follow the big tent line on Obamacare.

The Party with the big tent may have pro-life members, but they aren't allowed to speak to The Party inside the tent, about their views.

The Party with the big tent, of course, is so very tolerant that you don't even have to be breathing to vote for them.

Rory Cripps

at 14:52 on November 3rd, 2009

Hugh: I thought that the Republican Party was the "big tent" party or at least the party that espoused having a "big tent". One of the problems with the "big tent" theory for the Republican Party is that, according to recent polls, 40% of adult Americans consider themselves to be conservatives. That comprises the largest ideological block. So if the Republican Party wants to be "all inclusive", like Gingrich and other mainstream Republican leaders would like it to be, how is it going to achieve that without alienating it's conservative base? In light of recent polls that indicate Independents are leaning more toward the Republican Party than the Democratic Party (the opposite of what occurred prior to Obama's election), I think that it's a bit premature, at this point, for the Democrats to celebrate the splintering of the Republican Party. I also think that it's a bit premature given recent poll results on Obama's performance. If his numbers continue the same trend, there's no doubt that the Democrats will lose a significant number of seats in the house come 2010.

Rory Cripps

at 05:48 on November 2nd, 2009

Hugh: Interestingly enough, she's for "gun rights". However in her district she has no choice but to be. And more than likely the only form of "gun rights" that's she's for are non self-defense--such as hunting and target shooting.

In addition to her work in the Assembly, Scozzafava works as an investment advisor for RBC Dain Rauscher Inc., of Watertown, New York. According to her filed campaign reports, her husband and other family members are the largest donors to her campaigns. One of Seaway's holdings is the Hackett's department store chain. Scozzafava is listed as Chief Operating Officer for the company on her legislative website, but claims that she has had no direct ties with the company since 2007.[5] Her campaign website states she is Vice President of SC Partners, LLC.[6]

Conservatives criticized Scozzafava for accepting the endorsement of the Working Families Party in her earlier assembly campaigns, noting the close ties between that party and liberal activist group ACORN.[8] She has received endorsements from Newt Gingrich,[9] Congressman Peter T King,[9] the National Rifle Association (NRA),[9] the Log Cabin Republicans,[9] and the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), the largest labor union in New York State,[10] as well as an unsolicited endorsement from liberal activist Markos Moulitsas, founder and publisher of the Daily Kos blog.[11]

a211423

at 11:13 on November 2nd, 2009

I hope this isnt off topic, but on one of the links Rory provided Newt Gingrich made a statement about the selection of candidates. This might be the first time I have ever agreed with anything he said.

Party leaders — including Mr. Steele and Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker — had argued that local parties should be permitted to pick candidates that most closely mirror the sentiments of the district, even if those candidates vary from Republican orthodoxy on some issues.

This was said in response to the notion that Ms. Scozzafava's choice to drop out of the race would set a precedent for other Republicans in future elections and encourage conservatives going into next year’s midterm elections to mount primary challenges against Republican candidates whom they consider too moderate, particularly if Mr. Hoffman wins on Tuesday.

nanute

at 13:43 on November 2nd, 2009

I don't think it is off topic at all.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) late Monday had some choice words for Republicans supporting Conservative Party party candidate Doug Hoffman (N.Y.), accusing them of conducting a "purge" of the GOP. That was then, This is now:

After learning his initial pick, Republican candidate Dede Scozzafava, had bowed out of the race this morning, Gingrich tweeted that he was now supporting Hoffman, who is virtually tied with Democratic candidate Bill Owens in preliminary polls.

My what a difference a couple of days make. And then there's this bit of irony:

Mr. Hoffman won't have a ballot. It's not fraud. It's geography. His wife, Carol, won't have a ballot, either. That's because they live in Lake Placid, which is in the 20th Congressional District. That's two lost votes for Mr. Hoffman right there.

Rory Cripps

at 16:22 on November 2nd, 2009

a211423: Thanks for the comment . . . not off topic at all! And even if it were, nanute engages in "free association" quite often when it comes to politics. And what's fair for one is fair for all.

But in all seriousness: I disagree with Newt and you. I wish that Newt, Palin, Shumer, et. al stayed out of the 23rd congressional race-- special election or not. As long as local political organizations and their leaders are operating within the bounds of the law, I'm a firm believer in letting them do what they want to do without any outside influence. If change occurs, then let that change occur via local politics.

a211423

at 15:28 on November 2nd, 2009

nanute

Good sleuthing there! Maybe he intends on moving if he wins. lol

nanute

at 01:40 on November 3rd, 2009

He doesn't have to move. He owns a very nice lakefront home on Lake Champlain, which is inside the district. I wish the likes of Limbaugh, Sarah, Beck, and the other national right wing lunatic fringe, would have stayed out of the local political scene too. Chuck Schumer, is a Senator from NY that represents the 23rd. I don't see a problem for him having an interest in the race. (Insert partisan criticism or free association here, Rory.)

The way Ms. Scozafavva was denigrated and ridiculed by the outside interests, is it any wonder she decided to support her prior opponent.The statement by Rush on his broadcast yesterday was just pure vile, even by his standards. Maybe if Mr. Hoffman made a statement condemning the personal attacks he might have gotten her support. Let's not forget, Mr. Hoffman pledged to support the nominee after the selection process. He didn't honor his pledge.

Albert Milliron

at 16:45 on November 2nd, 2009

Her letter when she suspended said she always have and will support the GOP. Today she writes a support letter for the dem. She further is doing Robo-calls into tonight. The word Traitor comes to mind here. I see the RINO has come out of the closet.