GOP v. tea party Conservatives : Owens victory fallout

Republicans in New York's 23rd Congressional District are blaming Conservative Doug Hoffman -- and through the transative property UNYTEA -- for Matt Doheny's defeat at the Hands of the incumbent Democrat Bill Owens last night.

But Hoffman and UNYTEA's brass are firing back.

While not actively campaiging, Hoffman remained on the Conservative line and garnered 9,500 votes. Without counting the 9,000 abesentees cast in the district, Owens bested Doheny by 4,000 votes.

Candidates comment on Siena Poll

Okay, I just got comment from Congressman Bill Owens and his GOP challenger Matt Doheny regarding the Siena poll. For once, both men agree; polls aren't worth looking at.

Here they are.

Owens:
“The campaign strategy remains the same – we’re out talking to people. Most importantly, we’re listening to them. They talk to me about jobs, the debt and deficit and milk prices,” he said. “Those are the themes that are there all of the time and they aren’t changing. It hasn’t changed since I started running last August. That’s what I’m focusing on.”

He continued,

“I voted against raising the debt ceiling twice. I have submitted my own bill – the war on debt – trying to get people focused on how we’re going to pay-down the debt,” he said. “I’ve been offering solutions to the problems. That’s what I think my role is. It’s to come up with solutions and put them on the table to discuss.”

And Doheny:
“Three days before the Republican primary they had Lazio and Paladino in a dead heat. Paladino won by 25 points in that race,” he said. “We understand where the polling is going and we feel very good that when people think about voting for Bill Owens and realize it’s a vote for Nancy Pelosi, we will be quite happy with the results.”

Take that statistics nerds. So much for your complicated reduction algorithms and z scores... Score one for the anti-bell curve crowd...... Snap!

Siena Poll: Owens leads Doheny, Hoffman still a major player

Even though he is no longer actively in the race for New York’s 23rd Congressional seat, Conservative Doug Hoffman remains a key player in the outcome, according to a poll released Wednesday by the Siena Research Institute.

The poll sampled 607 likely voters in the district and found that if voters are aware that Hoffman has suspended his campaign, Democratic incumbent Bill Owens clings to a slim 44 to 39 percent lead over Republican Matt Doheny – just one point from being within the standard error. But if voters aren’t told of Hoffman’s post-primary concession, the Democratic incumbent’s lead balloons to 11 percent.

Confirmed: Hoffman will stay in race

A spokesman for Doug Hoffman's congressional campaign has just confirmed reports that the Saranac Lake accountant will indeed remain in the race and actively campaign on the Conservative line.

As of today, Matt Doheny has officially defeated Hoffman for the Republican line. But the hopes of the Doheny camp that Hoffman would withdraw from the race and back the Watertown banker will remain unrealized.

Hoffman campaign spokesman Rob Ryan put the massive amount of speculation to bed only minutes ago.

"Yes, he will be actively running on the CP line," Ryan told WNBZ.

The revelation may prove to be a huge windfall for Congressman Bill Owens's reelection bid.

Owens secures funding for Plattsburgh airport...

The Democrat representing New York's 23rd Congressional District announced Monday that he's secured a significant chunk of change for a project aimed at enhancing security measures at the Plattsburgh International Airport.

Congressman Bill Owens says a grant totaling $583,000 was awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration.

Owens is defending his House seat this November against either Watertown businessman Matt Doheny or Saranac Lake accountant Doug Hoffman -- or both.

Hoffman's strategy: childish or brilliant?

The question has finally been answered. If Doug Hoffman loses to Matt Doheny in the GOP primary later this month, he'll remain in the race on the Conservative line.

At last night's debate between the two would-be Republican challengers to Democratic incumbent Bill Owens, the Saranac Lake accountant finally answered the question that has been swirling for months.

“People think that I’m the spoiler because I’m not going to get out of the race. People that get the Conservative line, have to stay on the Conservative line once they take it,” Hoffman said. “The spoiler in this race is Matt Doheny because he is trying to get the Republican line, knowing very well that he can’t get the Conservative line.”

Doheny v. Hoffman Round 1

Room packed. Each of the 225 seats has been taken and we the press are pounding furiously at our keyboards trying to paint the picture.

Place is packed and it appears sweat is not an uncommon scene on the brows of the 200-plus spectators.

Doug Hoffman and Matt Doheny have yet to take their seats.

Should be underway any minute.