(AP Photo/FILES)
A little over a week ago, we discussed candidates for New York's special 23rd Congressional District election from a gun rights perspective.
Republican Dede Scozzafava received NRA's endorsement, but was considered too "liberal" on other issues by many GOP voters. Conservative Party challenger Doug Hoffman also claimed to be deserving of support from Second Amendment advocates, citing his NRA membership. Democrat Bill Owens thought it prudent to simply keep his mouth shut about guns.
The implications of that are interesting, and one of the reasons I developed the gun rights questionnaire for politicians. Unfortunately, despite responses from the Scozzafava and Hoffman campaigns, neither candidate would commit to answering specific questions about the right to keep and bear arms. And the Owens campaign simply ignored my request without reply.
Two interesting developments have happened since my column on the race:
Gun Owners of America has endorsed Doug Hoffman:
Doug Hoffman is a 100% gun rights supporter who will be a leader in the battle to defend the Second Amendment.
And Dede Scozzafava has suspended her campaign:
It is increasingly clear that pressure is mounting on many of my supporters to shift their support. Consequently, I hereby release those individuals who have endorsed and supported my campaign to transfer their support as they see fit to do so.
Readers here should know that, in a rare public disagreement, I have taken exception to GOA's endorsement based on the superlatives they used to back their man. I simply don't believe it's appropriate to characterize a man who declines to lead and champion as a champion and a leader. If you want to say Hoffman will probably be a lot better for gun owners than Owens, I'd say that's a reasonable assumption. But there is nothing on the public record to warrant going beyond that, and speaking only for myself, I'm tired of that kind of unsupported political rhetoric. Give me the facts, the pros, the cons, the implications, and then let me vote my informed conscience. Stop with the damned smoke-blowing.
But back to the race. From the Associated Press:
The announcement comes after a Siena College poll found she was in third place with 20 percent of the vote in the heavily Republican district that has been safe ground for the party for more than 100 years. Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman and Democratic nominee Bill Owens were too close to call with 35 percent and 36 percent, respectively.
It will be an interesting test to help guide the direction of the GOP in future campaigns. What I find particularly interesting is that no one in this race thought it beneficial to campaign against guns.
Comments
David, as a former New Yorker, I can say that it doesn't matter who gets voted into office (Republican, Democrat, or Independent) as Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has proven vividly New York politicians are wafer thin on their beliefs (and morals) where the Second Amendment is concerned. They always wrap themselves in the U.S. Flag and shout from the rafters their support for gun rights, but once in office, they always pander to the majority of Chuck Schumer cool-aid drinking NY liberals to gain political appeasement.
My confidence is very low that most New Yorkers have any political redemption left and their ability to change the anti-gun mind-set in New York is dwindling rapidly. I feel New York is a lost cause for conservatives in more ways than one, and Conservatives should focus our resources on saving those moderate states that can be defended.
New York is a political dead-end IMO.
From Fox News...Republican Dede Scozzafava endorsed her former Democratic opponent Sunday in the race for an upstate New York congressional seat, shaking up the contest for the second day in a row after exiting the race Saturday.
Scozzafava says, "I am supporting Bill Owens for Congress and urge you to do the same," she said. "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."
She is a predictable RINO sellout. She doesn't know the first thing about integrity. No surprise there. At this point every eligible voter, particularly conservatives, in the 23rd Congressional District need to throw their entire support to Hoffman if for no other reason than to prevent the seat from falling into the hands of the Democrats.
David, the explanation for this quick, enthusiastic endorsement is easy: Many of us are recognizing that some RKBA groups are all about a lot of other, social conservative issues, and about gun rights only as long as they don't get in the way of the real issues.
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