NY-23

Siena Poll: Doug Hoffman Gone From The Race -- But Still A Factor In NY-23

Eric Kleefeld | October 13, 2010, 6:34PM

Doug Hoffman

A new Siena poll of the NY-23 House district finds that this race could still be a contentious three-way race -- even though Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman, the star of last year's topsy-turvy special election, has dropped out. The problem: A lot of his voters might not know that he dropped out -- and his name remains on the ballot -- and he still splits the conservative vote and thus helps Democratic Rep. Bill Owens.

The initial numbers: Owens 42%, Republican nominee Matt Doheny 31%, and Hoffman 15%. When Hoffman backers are informed that he dropped out, the numbers change to Owens 44%, Doheny 39%, and Hoffman at only 1%. The survey of likely voters has a ±4% margin of error. There is no prior Siena poll of this race for direct comparison.

For what it's worth, it's also a good thing for Republicans that Hoffman narrowly lost the Republican primary against the establishment-backed Doheny, and subsequently threw his support the GOP's way. Only 28% view Hoffman favorably, with 55% unfavorable. By contrast, Owens's favorable rating is 46%-35%, and Doheny's is 36%-34%.

NY-23

Conservative Doug Hoffman Drops Out Of NY-23, Backs GOP Nominee Dohney

Eric Kleefeld | October 5, 2010, 12:10PM

NY-23 Republican candidates Doug Hoffman and Matt Doheny

Doug Hoffman, who rocketed to mini-fame in last year's NY-23 special election running on the Conservative Party of New York ballot line, has now dropped out of the race for this November's election, endorsing Republican nominee Matt Doheny after Doheny defeated him in last month's GOP primary.

Hoffman's name will still appear on the ballot as a Conservative, the Adirondack Daily Enterprise reports, but he is asking his supporters to vote for Doheny. This is good news for Republicans, as it will unify the conservative vote against Democratic Rep. Bill Owens, who won last year's special election thanks in part to infighting on the right.

Hoffman had previously announced late last month that he would stay in race, running on the Conservative line. (New York's fusion system allows a single candidate to run on multiple party lines. This usually results in small parties that work as influences on the big two -- but sometimes they rebel against the majors, too.)

But now he is backing out. "Our nation is at a crossroads, and it is imperative that on Election Day we wrest control of Congress from Nancy Pelosi and the Democrat majority," Hoffman said in a statement. "It was never my intention to split the Republican vote."

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NY-23

Doug Hoffman To Keep Running With Conservative Party For NY-23

Eric Kleefeld | September 23, 2010, 2:19PM

NY-23 Candidate Doug Hoffman (Conservative)

The NY-23 district looks like it's going to have another three-way race this year, with the Watertown Daily Times reporting that Doug Hoffman is staying in the contest on the Conservative Party line, after he narrowly lost the Republican primary to businessman Matt Doheny. And chances are, this is probably good news for Democratic Rep. Bill Owens.

In a statement, Hoffman conceded the Republican primary to Doheny, but also added: "I have spoken with family, friends, supporters and staff as I have weighed my next step. So today, with new resolve and a strong commitment to conservative principles, I rededicate myself to this race and announce that I will actively campaign for Congress as the nominee of the Conservative Party."

Hoffman, you might recall, was the Conservative Party candidate in the 2009 special election, when a right-wing revolt forced moderate GOP nominee Dede Scozzafava to drop out of the race. (New York's fusion system allows a single candidate to run on multiple party lines. This usually results in small parties that work as influences on the big two -- but occasionally rebel against them.) Scozzafava then made a stunning endorsement of Democrat Bill Owens, who defeated Hoffman by a margin of 49.7%-44.8% to win a district that Republicans had held since the 1800s.

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NY-23

Doug Hoffman Loses NY-23 Republican Primary -- But Is This Really The End?

Eric Kleefeld | September 15, 2010, 12:28AM

NY-23 Republican candidates Doug Hoffman and Matt Doheny

Doug Hoffman, the star of last year's NY-23 special election from the Conservative Party of New York ticket, has lost the Republican primary in his attempt to win the seat this time around. But it might not be over for him.

With 93% of precincts reporting, businessman Matt Doheny has 53% to Hoffman's 47% and the Associated Press has projected Doheny as the winner. Doheney will now face Democratic Rep. Bill Owens, who narrowly defeated Hoffman in last year's special election -- and picked up a seat that had been held by the Republicans since the party's birth in the 1850s -- which involved Hoffman successfully forcing the moderate Republican candidate Dede Scozzafava out of the race.

However, Hoffman is still the nominee of the Conservative Party, thanks to New York's fusion system that allows a single candidate to run on multiple party lines. And throughout this campaign, Hoffman has not ruled out continuing in the race as a Conservative, if he did not win the GOP primary. So let's see where this goes. Will small-c conservative voters unite around Doheny -- or will Owens benefit from a split vote on the right?

2010 elections

Tonight's Primaries: The Last Big Election Night Before November

Eric Kleefeld | September 14, 2010, 5:58PM

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Christine O'Donnell

Tonight marks the last major night of the 2010 primary season. And what a wild and wacky season it's been -- and could still prove to be tonight.

This is the last multi-state primary night this year. After tonight, the only one primary left is Hawaii's this Saturday.

So let's take a look at some of tonight's races. There are Tea Party insurgents against establishment GOP moderates, Dems fighting it out to keep their jobs, and a whole lot of fun throughout.

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NY-23

Doug Hoffman And Primary Opponent Tussle Over Drunk-Boating Arrests

Eric Kleefeld | August 9, 2010, 5:09PM

NY-23 Republican candidates Doug Hoffman and Matt Doheny

Doug Hoffman, the unsuccessful Conservative Party candidate in the hectic NY-23 special election last year, and his primary challenger in the Republican primary this year, Matt Doheny, are now squabbling over a big issue: Doheny's previous arrests for boating-under-the-influence.

On Friday, Hoffman called on Doheny to release paperwork from the case, which Doheny did later that day. The two incidents both occurred in July 2004, two weeks apart. In the first incident, which occurred at 3:20 a.m. ET, Doheny was fined $1,000 for BUI, plus $75 for not having a required personal flotation device. For the second episode, which occurred at 2 a.m. ET, he paid $1,000 for BUI, plus $425 for not having a state registration.

Hoffman and Doheny will face off in the September 14 Republican primary. Hoffman is simultaneously running on the Conservative Party line, while Doheny is also running with the Independence Party, under New York's fusion voting system. Doheny has said he would drop out of the race if he lost the Republican nod, while Hoffman has kept the door open to possibly continuing as a Conservative. The incumbent is Democrat Bill Owens, who narrowly won the special election last year against Hoffman after the moderate Republican, Dede Scozzafava, was forced out of the race by national right-wing pressure (and some of her own campaign's missteps).

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NY-23

Could Doug Hoffman Still Make Trouble For The GOP In NY-23?

Eric Kleefeld | July 1, 2010, 8:45AM

Doug Hoffman

Could the NY-23 district, which saw a wild special election last year, see a repeat this year -- a tough three-way race pitting Democratic Rep. Bill Owens against a Republican candidate and Conservative Doug Hoffman?

Owens narrowly defeated Hoffman in last year's special election, after Hoffman's Conservative Party candidacy attracted the support of national right-wingers and successfully forced the official GOP nominee, state Rep. Dede Scozzafava, out of the race due to her socially liberal positions.

Roll Call now reports that some people think a Republican split might happen yet again. Hoffman is seeking a rematch with Owens, simultaneously seeking the Conservative and Republican nominations. However, the state GOP establishment is backing businessman Matt Doheny for the nomination. And for his part, Doheny's campaign is assuming that Hoffman would keep on running as a Conservative if he were to lose the primary -- something Hoffman has not fully ruled out.

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