New York Republican congressional nominee Dede Scozzafava withdrew last weekend from the special election that will take place Tuesday and endorsed the Democrat, Bill Owens, in a race where a third party candidate, Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman, has become a major contender. Yes, you read that right. In one of the most Republican districts in New York, one that borders Canada, Scozzafava ran up against a mass revolt by mainstream Republicans who charged that her long list of liberal credentials made her a “RINO” or Republican In Name Only.

The 23rd congressional district race is this year's only congressional contest and is being held to fill the vacancy being left by President Obama's nomination of Republican Rep. John McHugh as Secretary of the Army.

Scozzafava supports the leftist abortion agenda, twice voted for same-sex marriage as a New York State legislator, and supported increasing the minimum wage and increasing federal control over education. She won the endorsements of ACORN's Working Families Party, columnists on the ultra-leftist blog DailyKos, the pro-abortion group NARAL, and the teacher's union NYSUT. This leftist record is considered “moderate" by the New York Times.

Scozzafava had also won the enthusiastic endorsements of GOP National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and the NRA. But Conserative Party Doug Hoffman won a series of high-profile GOP endorsements, including Sarah Palin, former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, and Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.

Scozzafava's endorsement of the Democratic nominee has essentially removed the “name only” from the RINO label. But Scozzafava's endorsement of Democrat Bill Owens didn't dampen Steele's enthusiasm for Scozzafava. Although Steele threw his support to Hoffman, Steele wrote on the GOP's website Sunday that:

The Republican National Committee respects Dede’s decision to suspend her campaign. This selfless act of releasing her supporters provides voters with the opportunity to unite around a candidate who shares Republican principles and will serve the interests of his constituents in Congress by standing in opposition to the liberal policies of President Obama and Speaker Pelosi.

Gingrich was likewise unapologetic about the situation, stating that “I think we are going to get into a very difficult environment around the country if suddenly conservative leaders decide they are going to anoint people without regard to local primaries and local choices.”

What the Scozzafava case proves is not that the local Republican Party in upstate New York is out of touch with America, it says that the national Republican Party leadership itself is run by RINOs. Republicans, Gingrich and the National Republican Committee say, should just accept whatever nominee they are given, even if the Republican supports the same leftist Obama agenda that the Democrats are pushing.

Photo of Dede Scozzafava: AP Images

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Jim Bowman Jr. said:

Surprise, Surprise New York "Republican" Dede Scozzafava drops out and endorses the Democrat? Shades of Arlen Specter. What this signifies is that the voice of the people has been heard BEFORE election day! We do have power, if only we would realize! Republicans should be weeded out of the party who are not in line with our Constitution. Could this actually be the underlining message from the voters in New York?

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November 02, 2009
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abouthadit said:

	the RINO gets the message By endorsing the dem candidate, Scoffascuzzo has shown her real colors. Her supporters in the edu community should be renamed NewYorkStateLeagueofUnionizedTeachersandSupporters NYSLUTS.
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November 02, 2009
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Melanie said:

... This is great news! twenty years now the conservative movement has been saddled with a Republican party too spineless to do any of the things they talk so big about. All of their promises were broken, and we were presented fools like John McCain and Michael Steele as supposed Conservative standard bearers. In this New York race, we have been shown the WAY and the LIGHT! Once our Conservative candidate soundly beats the liberal Democrat in this race, the nation will be awoken to the message that the true Conservatives can beat the spineless Republicans and take back our country from their failures. Hallelujah!

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November 02, 2009
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The Warner said:

	Goldwater/Johnson Revisited RINOs have had the Republican Party for 50 years, that is the accounting for the "drift" left. When Barry Goldwater won the Repulican candidacy the "Party" abandoned him and supported Johnson. The American people must come to the realization that hyphenated Americans/candidates are not Americans or candidates they are something else.
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November 02, 2009
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Flu-Bird said:

	Conservatism not dead Back when that liberal rag TIME was predicting that conservatism was dead but it looks like the conservtaive phoenix has risin from the ashes and the liberals are afraid of whats comming next, Shows you cant trust a liberal news rag like TIME
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November 02, 2009
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Zee said:

	Conservatism not dead Conservatism not dead! no it is not, it just doesn't have a party
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November 02, 2009
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John Erickson said:

picking our candidates I have seen how the political process works at the county conventions In the Republican party. I have seen how special interests like the N.E.A pack the deligate ranks. These deligates are basically RINO,s that pick the candidate we have to vote for in the general election. It makes sence that a similar process gave us John McCain. It is clear to me that we should never vote party over person. This stratagy of quality people using an independant party to get on the balot puts the power of picking leaders back on the people where it belongs. We have to vote person over party and trust our neighbors to do the same. The lesser of two evils argument should die

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November 02, 2009
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Guy Garofano said:

	But Who Is Hoffman? He certainly sounds good on some issues, but if he's a neo-con on foreign/military policy I won't be so happy to see him elected.
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November 02, 2009
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Pathenry said:

	shift! 'Bout time. If the party leaders will not hear our voice, then let's elect someone else. This is what NEEDS to happen, and New York is showing it CAN happen. Too bad, Newt, but you can stick it in your eye. We see better than your old brew.
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November 02, 2009
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