Palin Backs Third-Party Candidate in New York Race

By David Saltonstall
DAILY NEWS SENIOR CORRESPONDENT

Now Sarah Palin has really gone rogue.

The former Republican vice presidential nominee has turned her back on the GOP nominee in the race for New York's hard-fought 23rd Congressional District, which includes upstate Watertown and Plattsburgh. She's choosing instead to endorse long-shot Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman.

"The people of the 23rd Congressional District of New York are ready to shake things up, and Doug Hoffman is coming on strong as Election Day approaches!

He needs our help now," Palin wrote on her Facebook page, the ex-Alaska governor's favorite mode of communication these days.

Perhaps even more extraordinary, Palin didn't just say nice things about the pro-life, anti-tax Hoffman in backing his candidacy. The former GOP standard bearer also trashed the Republican candidate, state Assemblywoman Deirde "Dede" Scozzafava, in particular.

"Political parties must stand for something. When Republicans were in the wilderness in the late 1970s, Ronald Reagan knew that the doctrine of ‘blurring the lines' between parties was not an appropriate way to win elections," Palin wrote.

"Unfortunately, the Republican Party today has decided to choose a candidate that more than blurs the lines, and there is no real difference between the Democrat and the Republican in this race," she added in a pointed shot at Scozzafava, a backer of abortion rights and same sex marriage.

"Best of all, Doug Hoffman has not been anointed by any political machine," Palin wrote.

"Doug Hoffman stands for the principles that all Republicans should share: smaller government, lower taxes, strong national defense, and a commitment to individual liberty."

A Siena Research Institute Poll last week had Democrat Bill Owens leading the race by 4 percentage points at 33 percent, with Scozzafava trailing at 29 percent and Hoffman at 23 percent.

But that was a seven point jump for Hoffman, whose candidacy has lately drawn the attention of other GOP purists.

Before Palin weighed in, Hoffman was endorsed by former presidential contender and senator Fred Thompson, as well as Dick Armey, a former House majority leader who has been a leader in the conservative, anti-tax Tea Party movement. But the race has clearly divided the GOP.

Other party heavyweights see Hoffman as little more than a spoiler and are urging the GOP faithful to stick with Scozzafava, if only to up the chances of winning. "The choice in New York is a practical one," former House Speaker Newt Gingrich wrote recently in backing Scozzafava. "My No. 1 interest in the 2009 elections is to build a Republican majority.

If your interest is taking power back from the Left, and your interest is winning the necessary elections, then there are times when you have to put together a coalition that has disagreement within it." The special election, to be held on Nov. 3, will fill the seat held for nine terms by Republican John McHugh, who left the post after President Obama reached across party lines to name him secretary of the Army.

The stakes are high: the GOP has held the upstate seat—which includes the cities of Ogdensburg, Oswego, Plattsburgh and Watertown—for 120 years.

But Democrats clearly believe the have a shot with Owens, who last week drew the biggest gun of all—President Obama—to a Manhattan fundraiser for the Plattsburgh attorney.