More evidence for “Conservative with moderate voice” November 4 2009
Consider this from The American Spectator:
Republicans should not make a similar mistake by assuming the voters once again adore them. Independents will happily turn on them again if there is GOP misgovernment. And the results in New York’s 23rd congressional district — where Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman came up just short in his race against Democrat Bill Owens and the Republican ballot line occupied by Dede Scozzafava — show that the independent/conservative synthesis will not come about automatically.
Yet before the conventional wisdom about NY-23 fully coagulates, it should be noted that the GOP candidates who won in Virginia and New Jersey were not Rockefeller Republicans out of central casting. While they did not engage in right-wing chest-pounding — especially not Christie — they all described themselves as pro-life. Deeds got little mileage out of informing voters that McDonnell attended and wrote a thesis at a Pat Roberston-founded college.
Doug Hoffman seems like a good guy, but he was about as charismatic as a bowl of oatmeal. He was also fighting for “the soul of the Republican Party” in a general election. His rally cry was basically, “Look how conservative I am.” Admittedly there were a lot of complex moving parts in that race, but the glaring inadequacy of Dede Scozzafava as a Republican candidate did not make Hoffman an ideal substitute. I’m not the only one who wonders whether it was a good idea to throw a national conservative parade in a swing district.
McDonnell, on the other hand, had impeccable conservative bona fides. He acknowledged his conservatism, but emphasized economic issues and spoke to independent concerns. Sort of like a certain Alaskan did once upon a time when she was running for governor.
I chalk this up to further evidence for the “conservative with a moderate voice” model.
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