Irish American Republicans endorse Doheny

Watertown banker and GOP candidate for New York's 23rd Congressional District Matt Doheny picked up another endorsement today.

His campaign spokesperson, Alison Power, called it "the best endorsement ever."

Here's the release:

The candidacy of Matt Doheny for New York's 23rd Congressional District seat has been endorsed by the Irish American Republicans, a coalition of Irish Americans founded in 1868 and dubbed by Sean Hannity "the GOP's Delta Force."

Romney endorses Doheny...

Just days after receiving the endorsement of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Watertown banker gets another high-powered endorsement, this time from former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Doheny is running against incumbent Democrat Bill Owens in New York's 23rd Congressional District.

Doheny reacts to Hoffman's decision...

This is hot off the presses from Matt Doheny's campaign, sent to me by his campaign spokeswoman Alison Power:

"Doug Hoffman deserves a round of applause from everyone across the 23rd who want to see this Congressional seat back in conservative, Republican hands. And he deserves a round of applause from the voters across this nation who will bring fiscal sanity back to Washington, D.C. by electing a Republican House majority in November.

"I thank Doug for carrying the conservative torch in the 23rd, and am deeply appreciative that today he has passed that torch to me. I welcome his support and will continue to work to gain the support of the many voters in the 23rd Congressional District who believed in Doug and his message.

Hoffman bows out...

Adirondack Daily Enterprise staff writer Nathan Brown reports this morning that Saranac Lake accountant Doug Hoffman is dropping his Conservative Party bid for New York's 23rd Congressional District.

Here's the official statement, posted at the Watertown Daily Times website:

“I entered the 23rd Congressional District race for the good of our nation and to represent the common sense beliefs and values of the voters of upstate New York. Our nation is at a crossroads and it is imperative that on Election Day we wrest control of Congress from Nancy Pelosi and the Democrat majority.

Barie: Hoffman has no chance

The Upstate New York Tea Party's leader, Mark Barie, is leaving little doubt as to where he stands on Doug Hoffman's decision to remain in the race as the Conservative candidate.

This from UNYTEA's website this morning:

"Doug Hoffman doesn’t have an ice cube’s chance in hell of winning this election. A vote for him is a vote for Bill Owens."

I'll be speaking with Mark shortly...

It’s official: Doheny wins Republican primary

The race for New York’s 23rd Congressional District seat got some much-needed clarity yesterday, with Watertown businessman Matt Doheny officially winning the Republican primary.

As of Thursday afternoon, Doheny held a 743-vote lead over Saranac Lake accountant Doug Hoffman with just 394 absentee ballots left to be counted.

Hoffman has officially conceded the GOP primary, congratulating Doheny on his victory. Hoffman says he’ll remain in the race on the Conservative line.
Doheny had the support of 11 county GOP committees and the endorsement of the Independence Party.

UNYTEA chair reacts to three-way race

The chairman of the Upstate New York Tea Party says he’s not pleased with Doug Hoffman’s decision to remain in the race for New York’s 23rd Congressional District as a third party candidate.

Mark Barie told WNBZ Thursday that Matt Doheny is the clear winner following last week’s GOP primary. UNYTEA backed Hoffman throughout the primary campaign, but its support has wavered since last week’s vote.

“Matt Doheny deserves our congratulations,” he said. “It was a hard-fought campaign; some would say it got a little bit ugly at times. Clearly, the people have spoken and it’s beyond challenge.”

Hoffman concedes GOP primary, will remain in race

As reported by Jon Alexander:

The race for New York’s 23rd Congressional District is officially a three-way contest and the candidates on the right will have to overcome a fractured Republican-Conservative populace.

Doug Hoffman acknowledged Thursday that he had indeed been beaten by Matt Doheny in last week’s Republican primary – but he’s not going away without a fight.

The Hoffman camp confirmed that he will actively campaign and seek the congressional seat while solely appearing on the Conservative Party line.

Statement from Hoffman...

Hoffman's camp released this statement a few minutes ago:

Doug Hoffman, the Conservative Party candidate for Congress (NY-23), today conceded defeat in the hotly contested GOP Primary for the 23rd Congressional District seat. He announced that he would "keep his word to the New York State Conservative Party and to all those who believe in conservative principles, honesty and integrity" by continuing his race for Congress on the Conservative Party line. In last year's special election Hoffman pulled over 69,500 votes running on the Conservative Party line. Under New York State Election Law Hoffman's name must appear on the November ballot.

It's official: Hoffman staying in the race

Quick update:

Doug Hoffman's campaign spokesman, Rob Ryan, just told Jon Alexander that Hoffman is in fact staying in the race.

That means voters must choose between Democrat Bill Owens, Republican Matt Doheny, and Conservative Doug Hoffman.

Thoughts?

Looks like a three-way dance...

This just in from the Syracuse Post-Standard:

Tea Party favorite Doug Hoffman will formally concede today to Matt Doheny in the tightly-contested Republican primary for the 23rd Congressional District seat, according to a source close to Hoffman's campaign.

Hoffman plans to stay in the race on the Conservative Party line for the November election, the source said, ignoring calls from Republican leaders to step aside.

What do you think about Hoffman's plans to stay in the race? Is it smooth sailing for Owens from here on out?

Read the rest of the Post-Standard article here.

Quick NY-23 update...

Watertown businessman Matt Doheny will host a press conference at 4:30 p.m. at his Clinton County campaign office -- which is located at 1 Broad Street, Plattsburgh.

Doheny is expected to discuss the results from last week's Republican primary. In other words, look for the congressional hopeful to declare victory and shift gears to the November general election.

Saranac Lake accountant Doug Hoffman is also expected to make a statement today. His campaign spokesperson, Rob Ryan, emailed my colleague Jon Alexander to confirm that Hoffman will address the primary results.

Will Hoffman remain in the race as the Conservative Party candidate? Or will he drop out and support Doheny?

Stay tuned...

WDT calls Doheny the winner

Earlier this week, it appeared as if Saranac Lake accountant Doug Hoffman was closing in on Watertown businessman Matt Doheny in the race for the Republican line in New York’s 23rd Congressional District.

But with a final tally expected today, Doheny has actually widened his lead over Hoffman.

Jude Seymour of the Watertown Daily Times reports that Doheny now enjoys a 796-vote lead over Hoffman; 676 absentee votes still need to be counted.

Even if every absentee ballot goes in Hoffman’s favor, Doheny would still hold the majority.

Barring any major changes, Doheny will appear on both the Republican and Independence lines in this November’s election against Democratic incumbent Bill Owens.

Hoffman does have the Conservative line, but he’s yet to say whether he’ll stay in the race.

Barclay to Hoffman, Doheny: Take a deep breath

Here's an interesting release that was issued by a former 23rd Congressional District hopeful and current Republican Assemblyman Will Barclay of Oswego County.

Barclay tells Doug Hoffman and Matt Doheny it's time to take a deep breath and unite in order to defeat incumbent Democrat Bill Owens in November:

With the Associated Press projecting Matt Doheny as the winner in yesterday's Republican primary for Congress in NY-23 - but with Doheny not declaring victory and Doug Hoffman not conceding defeat -- State Assemblyman Will Barclay of Oswego County (R-C-I), a man who only months ago was himself a contender for that nomination, is calling upon both Doheny and Hoffman and their supporters to "take a breather and start thinking about working together for their common objective of defeating liberal Democrat Congressman Bill Owens in November."

It took a few hours, but...

... we've finally got a statement.

Here's what Hoffman's campaign released just a few minutes ago:

"Yesterday was the culmination of a long and hard fought primary. Matt Doheny ran a spirited race and should be commended for his efforts. I also want to thank my supporters for their effort and their resolute belief in the conservative principles I stand for.

"This is still a fluid race. Thousands of absentee and military ballots remain to be counted. There is no clear victor and I would be doing a disservice to my supporters, men and women in uniform and the voters if I did not wait for all votes to be properly counted."

Barie none-too-happy with Hoffman campaign...

I present here, in its entirety, a release issued by Upstate New York Tea Party Chairman Mark Barie this morning. To sum it up, Barie isn't pleased with how Doug Hoffman ran his campaign:

Although the results of yesterday’s GOP primary are still unclear, the Upstate New York Tea (UNYTEA) party is moving quickly to organize for the November elections.

“There are less than seven weeks until the November election, and we intend to use that time to reorganize and to make the case to voters that Bill Owens has got to go”, said Mark L Barie, Chairman of UNYTEA.

Too close to call in 23rd CD

First off, check out Jude Seymour's election coverage at the Watertown Daily Times.

Second, my early morning radio bed time is going to keep me from finding out any results on the 23rd Congressional District race.

For now, it's way too close to call. At last check, Doheny was 99 votes behind Hoffman.

Stay tuned tomorrow morning...

Slow down...

Members of the media -- including Jon and myself at WNBZ -- have been acting like feverish sports writers this week following Doug Hoffman's revelation that he'll remain in the race for New York's 23rd Congressional District, even if he loses to Matt Doheny in a Sept. 14 GOP primary.

Here's what I mean:

When an athlete, perhaps a wide receiver for an NFL team, indicates he's upset about not getting enough touches, the sports media generally takes that to mean the wideout is ticked at his quarterback.

WNBZ is 'kinda' involved in this -- Doheny nails Hoffman for no debates in western region

The Matt Doheny campaign hammered Doug Hoffman Thursday for allegedly ducking requests to debate Doheny in the western portion of the district. Hoffman, who now lives in Saranac Lake, has agreed to two debates, one in Plattsburgh and another in Saranac Lake. Doheny resides in Watertown.

I have yet to call the Hoffman camp about this...

And the release -- a really fun one, too:

Statement from Alison Power, spokesperson, Doheny for Congress Campaign:

“On Monday August 24, the Young Republican clubs of Lewis and Jefferson Counties invited Matt Doheny and Doug Hoffman to participate in a debate on August 31, at the Italian American Club in Watertown. We accepted. Doug Hoffman, through his campaign manager Patrick Gerhart, declined the invitation: ‘Unfortunately, Doug will not be able to make that date do (sic) to a previous commitment.‘

The clubs offered to change the date and/or the time and were told on Monday that the Hoffman campaign would “look into it.” It is our understanding that the Young Republicans have not to date heard anything more from the Hoffman camp.

Doheny gains more GOP support

Matt Doheny -- GOP Congressional challenger to Bill Owens -- got even more institutional backing this week. Doheny is currently spending as much time battling Conservative Doug Hoffman for the November GOP line as he is dealing with the incumbent.

Here's the release:

Watertown, NY – Three leaders in the national political arena – former Congressmen Bill Paxon, Tom Reynolds and Tom Davis – have endorsed the candidacy of Matt Doheny, Watertown, in the 23rd Congressional District of New York State.

“Matt is the kind of political newcomer we need in Washington today,” former Rep. Paxon (R-Buffalo,NY) said. “He’s a fiscal conservative who can apply both business and common sense to our nation’s current economic crisis. Matt can win the 23rd back for Republicans, and become a key vote against the failed policies of Obama and Pelosi.”