NY-23: Is Dede Endorsing Hoffman or Owens?

Via Hot Air, Hotline reports that Dede Scozzafava and her husband are quietly endorsing Bill Owens in the NY-23 race. This comes as no real shock as they disagree on absolutely nothing with regard to policy issues.

Hotline quotes both the New York Post and the Watertown Daily Times:

First, in a Watertown Daily Times' editorial switching its endorsement from Scozzafava to atty Bill Owens (D), the Daily Times notes that Scozzafava "began to quietly and thoughtfully encourage her supporters to vote for" Owens after her withdrawal announcement 10/31.

And, according to the New York Post, Scozzafava's husband -- Central Labor Council pres. Ron McDougall -- wholeheartedly endorsed Owens late last p.m. McDougall: "As a life-long labor activist, I know that Bill Owens understands the issues important to working people. On the other hand, Doug Hoffman has little regard for the interests of workers. Hoffman's opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act, coupled with his support for the failed policies of the Bush Administration make him a poor choice to serve the citizens of the 23rd Congressional District."

Stacy McCain is still on scene in upstate New York and also notes the Watertown Times story:

The Watertown (N.Y.) Daily Times -- which previously endorsed Scozzafava -- stirred the pot this morning with an editorial backing Democrat Bill Owens and claiming that this was also Scozzafava's agenda.

I don't think in the end that Dede's recommendation is going to be a game changer. The bigger picture here, to me, is her nomination in the first place. That the Republican establishment ever thought she was a viable candidate for that district is the real issue. She is not distinguishable from the Democrat in any significant way. Why did the RNC think this boat would float?

Stacy McCain phoned me from Watertown a couple of nights ago and,pointed me to this TCOT Report story by Michael Patrick Leahy about Dede's selection process:

Scozzafava was nominated on July 22 at a meeting of the eleven county chairmen. Prior to this meeting, a series of four regional meetings were held throughout the district, at which time nine candidates were given a chance to appear in front of a select group of Republican committeemen and State Party Officials. Many conservative Republicans in the 23rd Congressional District were insulted by the Speaker's blatant mischaracterization that Scozzafava was the "unanimous" choice of the four regional meetings that preceded the nominee selection meeting held on July 22. Contrary to the Speaker's assertions, Scozzafava received a majority of the support in only one of these four meetings.

She never had the local support the NRCC contended. Leahy asked Fulton County Republican County Chairman Susan McNeil if there was any support at all for Dede in Fulton County. McNeil's response? "In all of the calls I have received there is no support for Dede."

In fact, most of the support was for conservative Paul Maroun.

In other words, not unlike what they've done in the Florida Senate race between Rubio and Crist, the RNC inserted themselves into a local race because they thought they knew better than the locals what was good for them. In the Florida case, that's a primary race and the NRSC should have held off until Florida picked their own Republican candidate.

In the case of NY-23, the RNC should have listened to the locals. The fact that Dede and her big-labor husband are now coming out, however quietly, for the Democrat just shows that she is solidly a RINO and had no business representing the conservatives of that district.

The people of the district will speak on Tuesday and it's still not a "done deal" for Hoffman. He needs financial support and volunteers. But most of all, the RNC needs to listen to the conservative base. It's time to close ranks and come together as a party under the conservative principles that used to define us. No more RINOs!

(Cross posted at And So it Goes in Shreveport)