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Dems focusing solely on Hoffman in New York
Judging from expenditures made by national Democrats, the party believes its biggest obstacle to victory in a New York special election is not the Republican candidate but the Conservative Party's nominee.The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and its allies have not run advertisements attacking Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava since Oct. 20, a week ago. Instead, the party has focused solely on knocking down Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman. Meanwhile, Democratic strategists in Washington are privately beginning to downplay expectations for the race, hinting that they would not be surprised if Hoffman were to win outright, defeating both Scozzafava and attorney Bill Owens (D). Two recent polls, both commissioned by conservative organizations that support Hoffman, show the Conservative leading both his rivals. Public polls have showed Hoffman trailing Owens and Scozzafava, but sources in Hoffman's camp and among Democrats with knowledge of the race each say private polls show a two-way contest between Hoffman and Owens, leaving Scozzafava out in the cold. See ya, Dede. Perhaps you should retire and raise orchids ... "This race is neck and neck between Owens and Hoffman," said DCCC spokesman Ryan Rudominer. On Tuesday, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees reported purchasing nearly $200,000 in advertisements targeting Hoffman. Over the weekend, the DCCC began running new ads targeting Hoffman, bringing the total the committee has spent on the race to more than $525,000. Scozzafava's campaign dismisses the notion that they are out of the running, insisting that Hoffman's and Owens' absence on the campaign trail will stick with voters. "The only poll that we're focused on is Nov. 3, next Tuesday," said Matt Burns, Scozzafava's spokesman. "At the end of the day, people are looking for a leader who will stand up and fight for them in Congress and be accountable and answer questions, and the only person who has done that in this race is Dede Scozzafava." Hoffman's campaign says it is unsurprised by the focus on their candidate, pointing to Owens' party label and Scozzafava's cordial history with labor unions. "We've expected all along that in the final weeks of this campaign, big labor would be coming after us. Big labor is supporting both Dede Scozzafava and Bill Owens. The one person they don't want in Congress is Doug Hoffman," said Rob Ryan, a Hoffman advisor. Posted by: Fred 2009-10-28 |
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