SCOZZAFAVA SUSPENDS 23RD CAMPAIGN
SIENA POLL SUGGESTS REPUBLICAN CAN’T WIn
Betsy explains why:
It was becoming a two-man race between Hoffman and the Democratic candidate, Bill Owens, with Scozzafava serving as a spoiler to the third-party candidate. She read the tea leaves in her sinking poll number and dropped out.
What was amazing was that the Republican county leaders, facing a GOP district, felt that they had to pick Scozzafava for their candidate. She isn’t even a moderate, she’s basically a Democrat. In fact, she was the most liberal candidate of the three. It’s one thing to pick a RINO in a liberal-leaning area like Maine. But why pick one in a GOP district. There must be some sort of backstory there that does not augur well for those party leaders.
Besides Scozzafava, the big loser in all this is Newt Gingrich who had been going to the mattresses to defend his support for her. Meanwhile, Republicans have been following Sarah Palin’s lead and endorsing Hoffman.
American Power has the video:
Darleen asks,
David Frum? Newt Gingrich? Peggy Noonan? Chris Buckley? David Brooks? Do you hear us now?
More from Dan Riehl.
One interesting thing is that by only suspending her campaign another Republican can’t run in her stead. She still is the official representative of the party. I think that tactic is referred to as a Toricelli?
Pat,
Toricelli resigned so another member of his party would run in his stead.
Yes, I understand the difference I should have said that the tactic would have required her to resign. But by not the party is not in a position to replace her.
KUDOS to her! It’s rare for a pol to withdraw, even if it means splitting the vote makes her party lose an election. Her action is rare, let’s hope it sends a message to other left wing Republicans that the party should meet the people who have always been in the center and even more to the right.
What were they thinking? Most of her positions were to the left of the Democrat running for office. They too should resign! Now that would be even more refreshing.
Now that Dede Scozzafava has dropped out, Hamid Karzai is a shoo-in.
OK, can I take my KUDOS back? I heard on the radio this AM that she got two phone calls, one from our Caliph, Obama the Great and a second call from “get out of my way or I’ll knock you down, I think I see a TV camera” Schmuck Chumer to Dede asking her to ask her supporters to vote for the Dem candidate! How’s that for being a RINO (Republican In Name Only)?