Republicans threaten to retaliate against Dede Scozzafava in NY-23. 'If this is my end, so be it'

Dede Scozzafava is the moderate Republican assemblywoman who withdrew from the congressional race in New York's District 23 and threw her support to Democrat Bill Owens. You could call her the forgotten player in the race.

In a district that had been in Republican hands since the 19th century, Scozzafava's support helped Owens beat back a conservative maverick, Doug Hoffman, whose surging candidacy was fueled by Tea Party activists angry about her moderate views on abortion, gay marriage and President Obama's $787-billion stimulus package.

Now, Republicans in the New York Assembly are threatening to retaliate by stripping Scozzafava of her party roles.

Minority Leader Brian Kolb is openly talking about removing her as the GOP floor leader. The two have held several meetings, with Kolb expressing his disappointment in her action.

For her part, Scozzafava is talking about whether she even wants to stay in politics, or seek a seventh term in the Assembly next year. She told Kolb that she was sorry if she put him in an awkward position, but she doesn't sound sorry to have robbed conservatives of a voice in Congress.

"If this is my end, so be it," she told the Watertown Daily Times. "At least I know we have a congressional representative who is going to put the interests of the district above the interests of the Club for Growth and Rush Limbaughs of the world."

The move to punish Scozzafava is reminiscent of what Democrats wanted to do after Connecticut independent Joe Lieberman, who had been the Democratic vice presidential nominee in 2000, went out and campaigned all through the 2008 presidential campaign for Republican John McCain.

As Ticket reported earlier, the Democrats were also pretty ticked off last month when Lieberman threatened to filibuster a healthcare bill if it contained a public option.

Lieberman gets to chair the Government Reform Committee because he caucuses with the Dems, and many of them wanted to strip him of his chairmanship after the presidential defection.

The man who persuaded them not to: Barack Obama.

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo credit: Associated Press

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Comments

[Ben]

She may be moderate compared to the Los Angeles Times, but by the majority of U.S. citizen's standards she is a left wing nutjob.

Haven't you guys gone out of business, yet?

[William Post]

Why does the media persist in referring to Scozzafava as a moderate? She was endorsed by the founder of The Daily KOS who describes her as being to the left of most Democrats.

[ton Cadill]

Change party affiliation?Heck She is the prime example of a RINO/Perhaps now,the RNC will look more closely,at who they endorse and help?

[rzzzzz]

She is moderate compared to 90% of America, but by the majority of Sarah, Glen, Rush, Michelle and Dick's Armey of tea baggers who invaded the NY 23rd last month, she was not permitted to remain an elected republican.

[Penny Quince]

Dede Scozzafava is a brave woman who did the right thing in standing up to the hate-mongering politics of Rush Limbaugh and the Club for Growth. If these demagogues prevail, the democracy is lost just as it was in Germany in 1929. I hope she reregisters in the democratic party where her views will be respected and supported. Eleanor Roosevelt would be proud of this New York woman!

[rrlieberma]

We are fortunate that Dede Scozzafava had the courage to call attention to the shameless manipulation by right wing extremists of the efforts of moderate Republicans to compete for public office. They need to know that voters will push back and give victories to candidates like Bill Owens and repudiate the Palin pathology. And look who was so quick to flee from past moderate views and embrace Hoffman and his supporters? Guiliani and Pataki. Is this how they think they can run campaigns for statewide office in 2010? Disgusting, pandering hypocrites is how they will be known.

[Camron Barth]

The media was/is wrong to characterize Scozzafava as a "moderate" Republican - she isn't - she's a liberal Republican. There's a difference.

Republicans had two bad choices in New York’s 23rd Congressional district.

Winning in New Jersey, Virginia, and losing in NY-23 was probably the best combination for Republicans – they need to learn a lesson from NY-23.