The decision by Doug Hoffman to stand down and endorse Matt Doheny was abrupt but likely not spontaneous.
Mr. Hoffman has been on a roller coaster the past two years, from obscure Adirondack CPA to national conservative icon to a minor party candidate for Congress who really had no prospect other than to split anti Democratic votes in such a way that Democrat Bill Owens would be reelected.
After his narrow loss in the recent GOP primary, Mr. Hoffman was likely rattled and disappointed. Unless you have placed yourself at the mercy of voters, you cannot appreciate the hurt a loss can evoke.
With the Conservative nomination his, the loss of the primary didn't remove him from the race and last year he drew 46% on that line.
Likely what happened was a sense of isolation as GOP and Tea Party leaders left him. There was no money coming in. Even in his mountain redoubt, Mr. Hoffman gradually saw he couldn't win.
There were surely overtures from the Doheny campaign to help pick up campaign debts and staffers. An assurance of kind words as well to soften the agony of defeat.Maybe renting rooms in the famiy motel.
In the end, Hoffman's analytical side prevailed and four more weeks of being quoted in the papers and participating in debates would lead to a third place finish.
It might have been a strong third...but he would not be Congressman.....he would have neglected his own business...spent family funds and be a pariah for being seen as getting Bill Owens reelected.
Rather than prolong the agony, he got out...disappointed many but pleased others.....and ended his improbable journey into big time politics.
Pretty good run when you think about it.
14 comments:
He is still the conservative party candidate. I will have to think long and hard about this one. I don't like Doheny, but I like Owens even less. Doug would have done a far better job for NNY.
Tong
I am happy one of them dropped out. I was hoping it would be Doheny and so I am somewhat disappointed. Doheny gets my vote. The clock was ticking as I was hoping for a game changing fact or story to emerge about Doheny.
Still voting for Hoffman. I'd go to hell for voting for an abortionist.
But what does the Gore-man want me to do?
I personally think Doug Hoffman and the ideas he represents are unfit for office, but I gotta admit he gave it good shot. It takes courage to put yourself out there like that. There must be many people in this country, of all political stripes, who are capable of holding political office except they lack the courage.
Which one of the ideas that he represents, makes him "unfit for office"? That is just an inflammatory way of saying YOU disagree with his ideas.
It has been proven time and time again that the ideas YOU represent don't work. Proven in the USSR, proven in Cuba, proven in Kalifonia, proven in NY, proven in NJ.
The attack dogs are our NY23inMD and they aren't going to let logic baffle them. Through Anon 10:40AM a bone and then order him into his corner.
One more rhino in a sparsly populated district in newly liberal northern new york isn't gonna make that much of a difference. I am a conservative and I will vote for the conservative candidate.
Tong
Well Tong, doing that will simply throw your vote away and allow the LIBERAL DEMOCRAT to walk into office without a fight. Hoffman is now supporting Matt and has even said that him and Matt are nearly the same on the issues. We need to be united in order to get rid of Owens/Pelosi. Come on Tong. Hoffman knows that Owens would be elected if he stayed in the race. Thats why he dropped out. We need to support Matt unless we want more Bill Owens. And you KNOW that is what will happen.
"....One more rhino in a sparsly populated district in newly liberal northern new york...." Since when has this area been a bastion of conservatism anyway? It was always Rockefeller country, and we always sent moderate Republicans to Albany and DC through the years. (McEwen, Martin, McHugh, Dewey, Wise, Nortz, Barclay, et al). None were considered 'conservative'. And that was when things got done in this state, when we truly were the Empire State. That is why I always laugh at those who say we have to go back to our conservative roots, be "real" Republicans. If anything, the moderates were here first, and these Hoffman/ Teapartier types are the interlopers, the Johnny come latelys. Thanks to them we got Bill Owens.
a lot of ignorance out here on Matt's postitions.
he is very fiscally conservative.
he is opposed to federal funding abortions, late term abortion, and is pro adoption.
Matt is the only THINKING conservative's choice
Brian.. Quit talking stupid like that.. No one will ever call you Brain....
Amen 2:20. It gets old to hear the teaparty crybabies whine about how Doheny is "pretty much" a liberal. Give me a break.
And vote Republican.
2:43, We viewed it last year in the special election. Use your brain.
"Those who do not learn from their mistakes are condemned to repeat it." Hoffman did. Have you?
Vote Doheny for congress.......
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