Club For Growth Endorses Third-Party Conservative In NY-23 Special Election

The Club For Growth is now officially throwing a monkey wrench into Republican efforts to hold on in the NY-23 special election, endorsing Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman and denouncing the regular GOP nominee.

The Club's press release presents Hoffman as the real conservative in the race -- and says that Republican nominee Dede Scozzafava is no different from the Democratic candidate:

Hoffman, a certified public accountant and managing partner at a Lake Placid accounting firm, has sworn-off Congressional earmarks and pledged to oppose all tax increases if elected - a clear distinction among the candidates in this three-way contest. In fact, Scozzafava and Democrat Bill Owens both favor higher taxes, bigger government, and more spending, including President Obama's failed "stimulus" package and big labor's odious "Card Check" bill.

As we've noted before, the potential for a real three-way race here could lead to any number of outcomes: Owens could win on a split right-wing vote, Scozzafava would win as the candidate of the middle, or Hoffman could win from a split moderate and liberal vote. What does seem pretty clear, though, is that Hoffman will present the GOP with a whole lot of uncomfortable choices if he can really take off.