here is the thing that people are missing about NY-23.
Scozzafava is a RINO(Republican In Name Only) she is in favor of abortion, gay marriage, tax increases, card check legislation favoring the labor unions, and ACORN and is endorsed by DailyKos. Also once she ended her campagine she went and endorsed Owens, NOT the conservative candidate. Does not sound like your typical GOP. There was a rumor that she was going to leave the GOP once elected anyway and pull an Arlen. yea the GOP wrong for endorsing her, YESSSSS!!!! and they paid for what could have be an easy win for Hoffman if they went that route. So while the Dems can rejoice about NY-23 the GOP needs to look at NJ and VA and solidify their party for 2010.
I don't know much about Hoffman. I've heard that the Conservative Party of NY is made up of some
interesting characters with some
interesting ideas though - but I don't know. But I do know VA. And for statewide offices, we tend not to elect extremists from either party. Despite Eric Cantor's spin, there's a really good reason why McDonnell didn't have Sarah Palin on his arm while he was on the trail here. Even Democrats in VA (statewide/national offices) tend to be fiscally responsible, if not conservative, and social moderates. We don't have too many flakes here from either party.
So maybe Hoffman can run as a Republican next year and recapture that seat. But with Scozzafava only getting about 5% and Owens getting about 49% of the vote, seems like there were more than a few Republicans who preferred to vote for a Democrat rather than someone like Hoffman.
My guess is, the Democrats will lose some seats next year. Not as much as in VA, but nationwide, that is typically the case. But the issue I see for the Republicans is what kind of Republicans they pick to run in various contests. If the GOP runs Club for Growth types or Sarah Palin Evangelicals in
every race (as they seek to purge the party of so called RINO's), they might find that people may not be happy or satisfied with Obama and the Dems, but they're not necessarily going to vote for wingnuts in protest either. Not liking Obama does not necessarily translate into loving Limbaugh/Palin/Pat Robertson. With a national party I.D. still hanging between 20%-25%, I question whether the GOP gets that.
If the Dems go father to the left and the GOP keeps playing to the extreme right, this could be another
Perot moment in history. And personally, I'd love to see it. Now could be the perfect time for a fiscally responsible and socially moderate (or even libertarian) movement to step up to the plate.
:yesyes:
