Republicans going rogue in upstate New York

The White House could hardly have anticipated that fortuitous scenario when picking former NY-23 Congressman John McHugh for a Pentagon post, the move that set up November’s congressional election. [Editor's note: This sentence was amended to take note of another congressional race this fall.]

“This week’s surge of leading conservatives to Hoffman’s camp is a troubling sign for [Scozzafava’s] campaign and the national GOP establishment since several of the recent Hoffman endorsers have significant followings and represent the most energetic part of the Republican base,” writes Andy Barr at the Fredericksburg, Va., Free Lance-Star.

Ms. Scozzafava is a moderate-to-liberal Republican, a long-time state legislator who supports gay marriage and abortion rights. Her Democratic opponent, Mr. Owens, leads in the polls as Hoffman, a wealthy upstate businessman, has pulled about 23 percent of the vote, and is gaining fast.

Critics say the battle for Oswego is typical of the fringe politics that are driving the GOP right now. Chris Kelly at the Huffington Post writes that Hoffman “hasn’t just been anointed by a political machine. He’s been kidnapped by drifters.”

And the image of two GOP stalwarts – Armey and Gingrich – lining up on opposite sides of this election underscores the import of the fight.

“The specter of two generals of the 1994 Republican revolution, Gingrich and Armey, taking opposing positions highlights the philosophical divide within the GOP between purists and pragmatists,” writes the Wall Street Journal’s Naftali Bendavid on Friday.

But while big-name GOP stars line up their support, the real story of NY-23 is as a test for whether the much-discussed Tea Party movement from this summer and fall can translate into actual political power – i.e., getting someone elected.

The blogosphere has lit up with “anti-Dede” sites, only exacerbating Ms. Scozzafava’s political problems. Her financial fortunes are also lagging as she’s being outspent on the campaign trail while her own family business is in trouble.

Meanwhile, Tea Party volunteers are reportedly pouring into Hoffman’s campaign office to help canvas the Oswego area.

“They’re making New York 23 a last stand,” blogger Erick Erickson tells Politico. “New York should be a hill to die on for conservative activists.”

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