An endorsement for Doug Hoffman?
North Country tea party leader Mark Barie from Plattsburgh has announced that he’s holding a joint press conference on Wednesday with Conservative Republican candidate Doug Hoffman.
Hoffman, of course, is in a primary fight with Watertown attorney Matt Doheny, who has been winning endorsements from most of the 23rd district GOP committees.
According to Barie, he and Hoffman will be joined by “several dozen members of the Upstate New York Tea party” at events in Watertown and Plattsburgh.
Barie promises “a very significant development in the race for the NY 23rd Congressional District.”
If the tea party movement goes strong for Hoffman with an endorsement and the GOP sticks firmly by Doheny, it could make for a very interesting test of where the region’s more conservative voters are trending.
Of course, Hoffman has suggested that he’ll remain in the race as a Conservative even if Doheny wins, so this situation could grow complicated quickly.
Democrat Bill Owens is running unopposed.
One of the neat things about the Tea Party is that there’s no central control, no one guy or girl someplace calling the shots. Saying “The Tea Party backs this guy” means those people in that picture may back that candidate, but what the rest of the Tea Party does…..they’ll vote their conscience. If there’s one trait among the TP folks I know it’s the trait of being real tired of being told that we have only 2 choices, vote for the lessor of the 2 evils. BTDT, not any more.
Bret – One of the interesting questions that will be asked this week if the “tea party ” endorses Doug Hoffman is…Who decides?
The Republicans held committee meetings and interviews with candidates across the 23rd district. Their structure is visible.
One of the telling things about this moment for the tea party is whether it still looks like the kind of movement you describe, or whether it begins to take on the structure of a party.
Brian, NCPR
I wonder if Mr. Hoffman will finally give us some specifics of his platform. What part of “big gov’t” will he cut, what taxes will he rid us of, and what “controls” will he take away? Oh, and how much more money will he give the Pentagon? Unless I missed it, he’s had months to tell us and yet, strangely, I’ve yet to hear it. What ya got, Doug? Unless you actually names specifics, you’re not really an alternative to anyone now are you?
Clapton…to be fair, I’ve yet to hear a single politician (except Ryan) be specific about what cuts they would make in government. You can’t get elected on a platform of spending cuts or tax increases.
If it is true to itself; the tea party can’t endorse anyone, it is not a party and no one can speak for what it believes or not, it can’t endorse anyone as there is no “it”.
Brian, FWIW, the moment one single person “takes control” of the TP it’s over. I have received a few emails urging action of one sort or another, but I haven’t seen anyone person step forward to try and take control. I’m just as happy that way.
Brian, about the who decides, when I talked to Mark Barie last month, he said they’d be doing several informal polls of their 600-odd members, and that the group’s steering committee would make the ultimate endorsement decision taking this into account. According to a press release I got at the time it was founded in September, the steering committee had four members — “former Plattsburgh Mayor John Ianelli, Lake Placid Attorney, Greg Laduke, Dr. John Middleton, and John VanNatten” — but was “still in formation,” so it could be more now. Hope that helps on the who.