My obsession with NY-23 is probably getting tedious by now, but for those of you looking for a little good news might be interested in this column in the local media:
When I talk to GOP stalwarts — the kind of folks who are generally supporting Mr. Doheny — they express open skepticism about their ability to partner with the tea party activists who are supporting Doug Hoffman.
Nine out of eleven county committees have backed Mr. Doheny, often uncorking harsh criticism on Mr. Hoffman, his familiarity with their communities and issues.
Will they pivot to support Mr. Hoffman enthusiastically if he wins? It’s hard to imagine.
For the non-obsessed, Hoffman is the teabagger who lost last year’s special election to Democrat Bill Owens when Republicans in that R+1, historically Republican district split their votes between Hoffman and Republican nominee Dede Scozzfava. Doheny has been endorsed by the Republican establishment, and he and Hoffman will square off in the primary. Hoffman already has a third-party Conservative line on the ballot, so if Doheny wins the Republican primary, we’ll almost certainly see a replay of the special:
After last year’s disastrous special election effort, personalities, philosophies, and egos have become bitterly entangled.
Both sides seem firmly committed to their fratricidal battle, despite the threat of permanent marginalization.
If the Republican Party isn’t already dead as a political force in New York State, the teabaggers are putting a stake through its heart, burning it, and salting the earth so nothing with will grow.
Chat Noir
If only this could be the case throughout the country. I am so tired of hearing about these people like they have anything useful to add to the political discourse.
Bella Q
Is it wrong for me to hope that this sort of intramural Republican foolishness spreads virally?
WereBear (itouch)
It is fervently to be hoped, but these were NE Republicans, who are less crazy as a genus.
JGabriel
As a New Yorker, can I just say, “YAY!”
.
Warren Terra
“with grow” s/b “will grow” I think.
LosGatosCA
i think the ‘salting’ thing is their favorite part.
Keith G
Call me when they bury the body.
I seem to remember in Nov 08 reading about near mortal wounds suffered by the GOP. People here and in other parts were down right giddy.
Not only are they not dead, but….
jeffreyw
oh please…oh please…
Yay! I shall be released!
LosGatosCA
.@Keith G:
Reagan’s ‘moral majority’, Gingrich’s ‘angry white males’, Bush’s ‘evangelicals’ and now Armey’s ‘Teabaggers’.
It’s the same cast of characters, like a re-curring but in these cases malevolent, Christopher Guest mockumentary.
Phyllis Schafley sits on the podium behind Sarah Palin as the evil seeks a new host.
Persia
@Keith G: It’s like The Sixth Sense. They don’t know they’re dead.
bleh
Never ever assume that Republicans are spent as a political force.
“Republicans always come home.” Or as Clinton said, “Republicans fall in line.”
They are much more prone to consider voting as a duty. Most are authoritarians who recognize the benefits to themselves of authoritarianism. And many of them are simply deeply hateful, and they use their vote as an expression of their hatred, a motivation that is probably the most powerful in politics.
Never count them out. Never assume they are tired, or defeated, or confused. You set yourself up for defeat if you do.
DougJ
FWIW, I don’t think any of this is good for New York State. It will lead to either complete one party rule or mostly one party rule interrupted by short bursts of destructive tea bagging. Either way, it’s a step in the wrong direction.
Alex S.
Maybe the Dems should split into a centrist party and a left party, to push the Republicans out of the “the other party”-slot.
mistermix
@Warren Terra: Thanks
@DougJ: I agree. The machine is an ugly thing.
Sly
@bleh:
With our national political institutions, that is correct. Republicans have some pretty stiff regulations that promote party unity inside the RNC and in the respective caucuses of Congress. You’ll get the occasional “anonymous RNC/NRCC/NRSC source” putting out a hit job on someone, but thats because they’re really the only outlet for intraparty squabbles.
Outside the Beltway, and especially in the NE, all bets are off. Not only do Republicans lack these mechanisms at the local level, but election laws in states like New York, which allow for fusion tickets, actively work against a party that is suffering from internal feuds.
Lolis
Balloon Juice was cited in this yahoo article. Did anyone see this?
news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20100709/pl_yblog_upshot/washington-post-columnist-denounces-recess-ap…
Nick
@DougJ: The plus side of one party rule is that the primaries become where you play and that can be a plus for progressives.
I’m seeing it in NYC right now…progressives taking on the party machine because there’s really no risk of Republicans winning.
Sly
Incidentally, nothing is stopping the NY GOP from creating a whole bunch of single-issue parties and using them to get independents through a fusion ticket. It was the only reason Fiorella La Guardia was able to dismantle the power of Tammany Hall back in the 1930s, and that was probably the strongest (and most corrupt) political machine in American history.
Nick
@Sly:
there’s one thing…
…Sarah Palin.
the GOP would need to dissassociate itself from the national GOP in order to win the votes of independents in New York. I mean any Republican who cosponsors a bill like the Norris-LaGuardia Act would get my vote in a hot second.
Keep in mind that in the 1930s, much of Queens and Manhattan was still voting Republican statewide and nationally.
DougJ
@Nick:
Yes, I know there has been success with primaries in some municipal elections. But at the state level, the machine is too strong to let that happen, IMHO.
DougJ
@Sly:
Interesting point.
carpeicthus
Bill Owens is the dad of my elementary school crush, so … good on you, Tea Baggers!
TenguPhule
Gotta love the *liberal* balloonjuice label they give.
Everyone to the left of McCarthy are fucking liberals these days.