Post-election ruminations
And in the much-ballyhooed NY-23 special election, Conservative Party candidate, and self-proclaimed Glenn Beck acolyte, Doug Hoffman was given the smackdown by Democrat Bill Owens.
Now, I would draw from this Democratic victory in a traditionally Republican area – the first Democrat to represent New York’s North Country in over a century – a few observations.
First, what works for conservatives in Texas or Georgia might not work for conservatives in California or New York. One of the lovely things about conservative philosophy is its emphasis on local politics. Dede Scozzafada may not have been red enough meat for the likes of Sean Hannity or Michelle Malkin, but she might have been just the right shade for northern New Yorkers. Doug Hoffman, on the other hand, might have fit in better somewhere else. Really, it was a northern New York affair. The national Republican meddling distorted the issues on the ground. Left alone, Scozzafada may very well have beat Owens, giving the GOP a much-needed seat in the House – even if she wasn’t of purest stock. Remember, in Virginia, the Republican candidate campaigned on fiscal and economic issues – as a pragmatic leader, not as a red meat social conservative. And he won.
Second, even a liberal Republican is much more likely to vote with Republicans on issues than a moderate Democrat. Party loyalty cannot be underestimated here.
So what does the conservative movement take from this loss amidst all this victory? [Read more →]
November 4, 2009 21 Comments
Stray thoughts on the NY-23 race
My litmus test for a heterodox conservative candidate is twofold. If you’re a genuinely original thinker who encourages intramural debate, chances are you’re better suited for office than some slavish devotee of party orthodoxy. A political movement can’t consist entirely of politicians who buck the party line, but in general, these figures are comparatively rare and worth preserving (think McCain at his maverick-y best).
The second condition has to do with the realities of national coalition-building. If, for example, you’re running in a traditionally liberal district, the logic of moderating your ideological outlook is pretty ironclad.
As best I can tell, however, Dede Scozzafava didn’t fall into either category. However sincere, her breaks with party orthodoxy aren’t going to be remembered as vital contributions to the debate over conservative renewal. And her district, despite its location in the heart of the Northeast, is known far and wide as a conservative stronghold.
I can’t say I’m particularly pleased by her conservative replacement, Doug Hoffman, who seems embarassingly clueless about issues that actually matter to his constituents. But the general principle of electing conservative candidates in conservative districts strikes me as pretty unobjectionable.
November 2, 2009 46 Comments
