For Republican moderates and conservatives in the North Country, the war goes on

Here’s one thing that Tuesday’s election made crystal clear: The rift between Republican conservatives and moderate is deep, substantial and personal.

Back in May, Conservative Party leader Mike Long made it clear that North Country Republicans Janet Duprey, Teresa Sayward and Dede Scozzafava would no longer enjoy his party’s endorsement.

Why? It was a single-issue litmus test: They voted in favor of same-sex marriage.

Long’s party went one better in the summer, running Doug Hoffman against Scozzafava in the 23rd House race.

Local Republicans across the 23rd district questioned whether Scozzafava has a future in the GOP, following her endorsement of Owens.

But in the final days of the campaign, we learned something new: Some moderates are quite willing to fight back.

Most substantial in this equation were the number of centrist Republican voters who crossed over and voted for Democrat Bill Owens, or pulled the protest lever on behalf of Scozzafava.

Here at NCPR, we’ve heard from many of these GOP voters who say they were simply uncomfortable with Hoffman’s conservative social views.

But for the first time, Scozzafava and Duprey are also beginning to articulate their own platform, laying out the specifically Republican basis for their “liberal” social views.

In their opinion, the Hoffman-Conservative positions on social issues represent a big-government intervention into citizens’ lives.

According to their argument, it’s Hoffman — not themselves — who abandoned the GOP’s devotion to small-government and personal liberty.

They also express deep disdain for conservative movement leaders such as Glen Beck and Rush Limbaugh, describing them as “hateful” and “divisive.” (Hoffman described Beck as a “mentor.”)

A similar view was visible in the rejection of Hoffman by the Watertown Daily Times, a newspaper whose editorial page has long been seen as conservative.

The paper accused Hoffman of being ” beholden to right-wing ideologues.”

So where do we go from here?

Scozzafava and Duprey have been elected Republicans for decades; but it’s unclear whether their views are still welcome within the modern GOP, even in New York state.

Republican Assembly minority leader Brian Kolb’s defense of their position has been feeble, at best. Other moderates have scurried for cover, or thrown them overboard.

After speaking with leaders on both sides of this divide, my sense is that there’s very little stomach for rapprochement.

Instead, the future tone and shape of the party will likely be tested next September, when both Assemblywomen are likely to face primary challenges.

The fight goes on and, as is only proper, the final say will go to the voters.