Hoffman brings the negative
Conservative Doug Hoffman’s campaign has released a press release demanding that Republican House candidate (and GOP Assemblywoman) Dede Scozzafava “explain her relationship” with Acorn and the Working Family Party.
Acorn is the community organizing group that many conservatives – especially in the Fox News and talk radio world – accuse of nefarious dealings.
WFP is a party that generally backs progressive politicians. Scozzafava won their support for her generally pro-labor, pro-choice and pro-same-sex marriage views.
In his statement, Hoffman accuses of Scozzafava of working with the “radical left.”
“I am calling Dede Scozzafava to disavow her relationship with the WFP, condemn ACORN for its actions and come clean on her and her husband’s dealings with the two entities.”
The release goes on to describe Scozzafava’s husband as “an organizer for Big Labor.”
I could be wrong, but I’m skeptical about how this kind of thing plays in the North Country. Sure we have hard-fought elections here.
But this is a small town culture, not a Fox News vs. MSNBC smackdown.
Even a lot of the people who plan to vote against Dede Scozzafava know her personally as a veteran Republican.
GOP leaders across the region — especially Assemblywomen Janet Duprey and Teresa Sayward – argue with her on specific issues, but they know her and respect her.
Is she too liberal for some on the social stuff? Sure, that label might stick.
But in cahoots with Acorn? Complicit in a scheme to “radicalize” New York politics?
Voters might see that as a stretch. For the record, there’s no evidence that Scozzafava has had any dealings of any sort with ACORN.
For Hoffman, tossing this kind of firecracker stuff could be risky, especially at a time when he’s still establishing his own electability cred. (Always tough for a third-party candidate.)
The vast majority of voters in the district have no idea who Doug Hoffman is.
If their first taste of him comes in the form of go-negative-early broadsides, it could be a tough impression to live down.
What do you think? Is Hoffman landing some good early punches or swinging wild?
