Why so coy, Conservatives?

In public appearance’s this week, former Republican candidate — and lingering Conservative candidate — Rick Lazio minced words about his future.  This from the Albany Times-Union:

“I have every intention of being a strong voice for the next six weeks,” Lazio said. In reference to Paladino, he said, “Anger by itself is not a platform.”

But is Lazio a full-fledged candidate, fighting for votes on the Conservative line?  He won’t say.

Meanwhile, North Country Conservative candidate Doug Hoffman is refusing to grant interviews.  He ducked out of his own party on primary night without talking to the press or supporters.

According to Watertown Mayor Jeff Graham, Hoffman has shuttered his campaign HQ in that city.

Hoffman’s main office here in Saranac Lake still boasts banners and campaign signs, but the lights have been off since election day.

(I live right around the corner, so I’m sort of an expert on the subject…)

So is he in or out?  Nobody’s saying.

When WRVO reporter Mike Benjamin caught up with Hoffman in Syracuse this week, the candidate’s own answer to that question was bizarre.

After pausing for a really long time, he answered mechanically, “Thank you for voting for me, I appreciate it.”

Conservative Party chairman Mike Long argued before primary day that his team would soldier on to November regardless of the GOP vote.

But with less than six weeks to go before the general election, Long’s hand-picked candidates are either waffling or weirdly silent.

One reason for all the behind-the-scenes hand-wringing and angst is that events of this election season are threatening to bump Conservatives from their guaranteed line on the ballot.  This from the on-line magazine Salon.

If Lazio opts out, that could put the Conservative Party in danger of losing its place on the ballot in future elections, robbing the third party of its primary source of strength and spelling the end of an entity that has for years been a significant right-wing force in New York.

“We’re concerned,” Conservative Party Chair Michael Long told Salon Tuesday. “But I believe that if Lazio moves forward and runs an aggressive campaign, I think we’ll be fine and do much better than the 50,000 votes.”

That may explain the complex maneuvering that surrounds Lazio.  Hoffman’s silence, on the other hand, remains a complete mystery.

Tags: election10