GOP Infighting Could Hand NY-23 to Dems... Again
The Republican infighting in New York's 23rd district has again intensified, with candidate Doug Hoffman vowing to run even if he loses the GOP primary.
Though the media spotlight has faded away, Republicans in New York’s 23rd congressional district continue to wage civil war over the nomination, a war that threatens to continue all the way to Election Day.
In the wake of the 2009 special election and the ejection of Dede Scozzafava, the then-Republican nominee, Republicans have continued the fight – this time on who will become the 2010 general election nominee.
On either side of the ring are Doug Hoffman, the 2009 candidate on the Conservative Party ticket, and businessman Matt Doheny.
Hoffman’s campaign is convinced that the publicity from the 2009 special election has given their candidate the support he needs to win the nomination this time around. “Doug is a brand up there. I know that may sound a little bit trite, but the special election got him so much press, so much publicity, everybody knows who he is,” said Rob Ryan, a communications advisor to Doug Hoffman.
Ryan points to an internal poll that had Hoffman up by over thirty points in July as evidence of his candidate’s frontrunner status.
Doheny’s campaign team suggests that the summer months have allowed them to become competitive. “Matt is working harder – he’s got the depth of knowledge on local issues and international issues… Mr. Hoffman feels entitled to the nomination,” said Alison Powers, a spokesperson for Doheny.
“That is so ridiculous. That is why they call this the silly season,” said Hoffman’s aide in response to the charge. “Doug Hoffman understands that he has to work hard for this election. That’s why he’s been travelling all over the district and meeting all sorts of people.”
There is no reliable, independent polling in the district. But if money talks, it would say that Doheny holds the lead. According to FEC filings, Doheny has a substantial cash on hand advantage, with more than three times the amount of money that Hoffman has. At the beginning of July, Doheny had $691,205 on hand, while Hoffman had $213,245.
Further, Hoffman faces the same problems as he did in the infamous 2009 special election – he has failed to convince local Republican committees that he deserves their nomination.
Nine out of the eleven county GOP committees in the district have endorsed Doheny, and the other two have declined to make an endorsement altogether. However, the two chairmen of these two committees have both personally endorsed Doheny. “They saw Matt’s hustle, and gravitated to Matt [Doheny]. I think it’s just as simple as that,” said the Doheny campaign’s Alison Powers.
“Look, these guys all last year endorsed Dede Scozzafava… they endorsed Doheny because they can’t accept the fact that Doug beat her… and they know that Doug is not beholden to them,” said Rob Ryan, Hoffman’s spokesman.
This nomination fight, to be partially settled on September 14th, is based on style, not substance. Both Republicans appear to agree on almost all policy issues. The Upstate New York Tea Party has endorsed Hoffman, but admits Doheny is basically just as conservative. So the battle has centered on whether Doheny, who has spent time on Wall Street, is ‘Main Street’ enough for the district; or whether Doug Hoffman, who only moved into the district this year, is knowledgeable enough on local issues.
Civil wars don’t end easily, and this one promises to continue the trend. If Doheny wins on primary night, Hoffman has vowed to keep campaigning – he’s been guaranteed the Conservative Party line on the ballot – and the political fight will continue on to Election Day.
This continuing fight on the right handed the district to the Democrats for the first time in a hundred years - the Hoffman-Doheny showdown threatens to hand the district over to Congressman Bill Owens for a second time in a row.
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