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In an emailed letter to supporters Sunday afternoon, reprinted in its entirety in her hometown paper, Dede Scozzafava, the GOP candidate for Congress in New York’s far-north 23rd district who suspended her campaign yesterday in the face of a national-conservative and "home-grown" tea-party onslaught, endorsed Democrat Bill Owens.
Her letter to supporters, released at 2pm today (my emphasis):
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.
It’s not in the cards for me to be your representative, but I strongly believe Bill is the only candidate who can build upon John McHugh’s lasting legacy in the U.S. Congress. John and I worked together on the expansion of Fort Drum and I know how important that base is to the economy of this region. I am confident that Bill will be able to provide the leadership and continuity of support to Drum Country just as John did during his tenure in Congress.
In Bill Owens, I see a sense of duty and integrity that will guide him beyond political partisanship. 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.
Please join me in voting for Bill Owens on Tuesday. To address the tough challenges ahead, we must rise above partisanship and politics and work together. There’s too much at stake in this election to do otherwise.
13 Comments
I guess this means Michelle Malkin was right all along: Dede is an abortion-loving labor shill, a RINO who would have voted to support every one of President Kenyatta X’s socialist initiatives.
Recommended also: E.J. Dionne’s take on the Hoffman candidacy as the product of national conservatives bigfooting local Republicans’ choice:
Excerpt:
It would take a miracle but lets hope Owens wins. I don’t think I can stand another week with the Repubs all over TV bragging about their victory.
Just think Sara bich will be saying She made the difference.
Uh-huh. And boy are they going to regret it!
Or perhaps it means that my uncharitable first reaction yesterday was incorrect, and that Ms Scozzafava actually does care more about the people of her district getting decent representation than she does about keeping a “democrat” out of the seat.
We shall see.
FunnyWheelieDiva
I hear the unions are mobilizing turnout for Owens. Still not sure he’ll win, though. The district has been Republican for something like 200 years…
I read somewhere that before this part of New York State was represented by a GOP in Congress, it was actually represented by a Whig!
Either remaining outcome is okay with me at this point.
A Hoffman win will embolden tea-baggers, carpetbaggers, the Palin crowd and assorted (other) crazees to challenge GOP non-taliban Congresscritters everywhere in 2010. We can only hope they decide to primary them AND run in the general. I believe one, in Tom Perriello’s Virginia Southside district, has already withdrawn from the GOP primary to run indie.
This outcome will heighten the civil war and provide endless media infotainment around the breakdown of the GOP: what really happens when a 20% party splits in two?
The alternative, an Owens victory, will give Democrats endless bragging rights but also produce a media blackout. And he’s likely to give us grief. To the extent the newest ‘critter can pull our House caucus to the right, he will. I think he’s already pledged to the Blue Doggies, whoopie. But the GOP will be chicken-with-it-head-cut-off lunacy. The fingerpointing and blame-game, played largely out of sight because of the cooperative media blackout, will be intense. Expect lots of almost-toldja-so tweets from Newtie.
Anyway, either outcome is fun for us.
glad Scozzafava did this. whether Hoffman wins or loses, in the short run this is all a problem for the Republican party. I’m worried, however, that in the long run this is a problem for all of us. In the early and mid 60s, extreme right wingers were on the fringe–Barry Goldwater got crushed in the 1964 presidential election. But he helped move the party to the right, and when Reagan won in the 80s (and GW Bush in the 2000s) they were able to move even further to the right than Goldwater on some issues (he was a libertarian on some issues, after all). My concern is that the ultra extreme right wingers will take over the party or start their own 3rd party and ultimately–whether in 5, 10, or 20 years, see electoral success. Sarah Palin seems like a joke now, but not to everyone, and in a few years, her ideological successor may be better positioned to win
Dede is married to an important labor leader; McHugh was not a diehard labor supporter but got steady labor support throughout his career. Labor could make this happen for Owens.
I remember thinking only twelve years ago what a ludicrous idea a George W Bush presidency was, and look how that turned out. So yes, while we mock and point and laugh, we must also mobilize and truth-tell on these rightwingers. And we must make every effort to reach, and help through progressive policies, those who might be attracted to the faux-populism of the right through extended deprivation and economic hardship, perceived abandonment by elites, and technological left-behindedness.
In other words, we need to mock their leaders but not their followers or potential followers, if we can help ourselves.
No way, really? Wow. That might just be true, and nuts.
This had occured to me as well. Not another blue dog. In many ways I’d rather the GOP kept this seat, than have yet another blue dog cripple progressive goals.