Can you hear us now? If this doesn’t prove the point that grassroots conservatives were making about Dede Scozzafava all along nothing will:
One day after she suspended her own campaign and declined to publicly endorse either of her opponents, Republican Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava has formally announced her support for Democratic candidate Bill Owens.
“Since beginning my campaign, I have told you that this election is not about me; it’s about the people of this District,” Scozzafava wrote in an e-mail sent to supporters this afternoon.
“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.”
I wish I could say I was surprised by her decision but I’m not… from all reports Dede Scozzafava is liberal big government republican who is even more of progressive than the democrat she’s endorsed.
Grassroots conservatives were right to question the decision of Republican Party bosses who hand picked Ms. Scozzafava. Her decision to endorse Mr. Owens, the Democrat, proves she was the wrong candidate… The conventional wisdom says this should be a blow to Mr. Hoffman’s campaign, but I’m not sure the conventional wisdom applies here.Mr. Hoffman’s entire campaign has been a long shot that simple that he’s made it to this point turn the conventional wisdom on its ear.
The bottom line is the Republican Party isn’t win elections by embracing bland me-too Republicanism, it needs to draw vibrant, principled distinctions between itself and Democrats. To quote Sarah Palin, Political parties must stand for something.
We’ve been in this before and we know the road back… as Gov. Palin explained on her Facebook page Thursday night “When Republicans were in the wilderness in the late 1970s, Ronald Reagan knew that the doctrine of “blurring the lines” between parties was not an appropriate way to win elections.”
Mr. Reagan was, unfortunately, the Republican Party establishment of today is no more interested in principled conservatism than it was in the 1970s… They were never comfortable with Reagan, they too believed that the path out of the wilderness was paved with bland me-too Republicanism… It was the grassroots who embraced Mr. Reagan and brought about the Reagan Revolution. And as we seeing in New York and Virgina it’s grassroots who are again shunning the party establishment and driving a new conservative revolution.