Tornado Alley (PROG)

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New Twist the New York Congressional Race

So, as a recap:

1. Sure-to-win Republican candidate in very conservative district gets challenge from "Conservative" party candidate
2. Republican candidate loses voters to conservative party candidate, putting Democrat in the lead
3. Key Republican leaders endorse the Conservative party candidate, by rationale that the Republican candidate is "too moderate".
4. Republican candidate exits the race.
5. Former Republican candidate endorses the Democrat

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/02/nyregion/02district.html?_r=1&hp

New York Republican Endorses Democrat
By JEREMY W. PETERS
Published: November 1, 2009

Canastota, N.Y. — The moderate Republican who suddenly abandoned her campaign in an Upstate New York Congressional race that has exposed deep divisions in the Republican Party urged her supporters on Sunday to vote for the Democratic candidate — a surprising act of defiance that added another unexpected twist to the closely watched race.

Dede Scozzafava, who stunned her Republican colleagues on Saturday when she said she was suspending her campaign because it appeared increasingly unlikely she would not prevail, said that Bill Owens, the Democrat in the race, was the strongest candidate.

“In Bill Owens, I see a sense of duty and integrity that will guide him beyond political partisanship,” Ms. Scozzafava said in a statement released Sunday afternoon. “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,”

The endorsement is certain to embolden Mr. Owens, a Democratic lawyer from Plattsburgh, N.Y., in his campaign against Douglas L. Hoffman, the candidate running on the Conservative Party line who pushed Ms. Scozzafava out of the race. Mr. Hoffman’s candidacy has been gaining considerable momentum in the last week, and he has emerged as an unexpectedly strong rival to Mr. Owens.