The Case Against Scozzafava

Conservative blogger Michelle Malkin has erupted a firestorm within the conservative movement and the Republican Party by exposing a wolf in sheep’s clothing.  Dede Scozzafava is the “moderate” Republican candidate for Congress in NY’s 23^rd district.  The problem?  Scozzafava is no moderate; she’s a full blown liberal with the backing of the national and state parties as well as some prominent conservative and Republican leaders.

But what’s controversial is not how far left she is (there have been many liberals who have gotten Republican nominations in the past, e.g. Arlen Specter) but rather that there is a true conservative in the race: Doug Hoffman.

Hoffman sought but was denied the Republican nomination but decided to run for Congress anyway (with the backing of the Conservative Party) and has found the support of prominent Republicans and conservatives such as Fred Thompson, the Susan B. Anthony List and others.  The controversy arises because Hoffman is not just some conservative candidate trying to make a point.  He is only a couple of points behind Scozzafava in most polls and National Review has even reported that he might be ahead of her, meaning that not only will he most likely do better than the Republican but is well within striking distance of winning the entire race.

But I realize some Republicans and even conservatives might remain skeptical about supporting a third party candidate when there is an endorsed Republican (why not back someone who can definitely win, runs the argument).

Consider this:

• Scozzafava supports Obama’s massive trillion dollar “stimulus” packages and generally supports government intervention in our markets.
• The NY Democratic Party actually considered running her as their own candidate.
• The Working Families Party, which is essentially a socialist political party, has endorsed her in past elections.
• She has voted for massive tax increases and refused, until October 15, to sign a no tax-increase pledge.
• Not only is she pro-choice, but she was actually on Planned Parenthood’s board.  Yet it gets worse: she was the recipient of their most prestigious honor, the Margaret Sanger award (the same Margaret Sanger who advocated eugenics).

Not only is Scozzafava not a “moderate” Republican, she isn’t even moderate.  She is a hard core Leftist who has been endorsed by the Working Families Party and was a potential Democratic nominee.

Conservatives and Republicans everywhere should be outraged that, despite the most obvious display of conservatism amongst grassroots, movement enthusiasts in many years, the NY GOP has decided to nominate someone who believes in everything antithetical to their base’s core values.

If a viable, conservative alternative did not exist in this race, then no one would be upset, but the fact is that conservatives see a pro-life, free-market supporting, small-government conservative who is only a few points behind and they legitimately ask, why not support him?

But there’s an even more important question to be asked which goes well beyond the outcome of this particular race.  If Republicans nominate a candidate who agrees with Democrats on a vast swath of issues, and that candidate, if elected, will most likely vote with the Democrats as the result of their agreement, what, even if that candidate wins the election as a Republican, is the practical outcome other than electing a liberal?

It’s not as if Democrats and Republicans are so closely split in the House that we need a Republican badly enough to elect a liberal, nor is Scozzafava some brilliant voice for the conservative movement or Republican Party that will win Democrats over (obviously).  The practical outcome then is that we simply elect a liberal who will vote with the Democrats on a plethora of issues.

Before I am accused of being some purist who would ruin the Republican Party before conceding one nomination to a liberal, bear in mind that if no viable conservative alternative existed in this race, I would not be opposed to the Scozzafava nomination.  But in the presence of such an appealing alternative, one cannot reasonably put politics before their principles.  Therefore every conservative should be backing Doug Hoffman, even if it means breaking with their Party.

Chadwick Ciocci

Chadwick Ciocci is currently running for re-election to his 5th term in public office in Connecticut at the age of 24. He studied philosophy at Fordham University in New York and is the founder of the New York City chapter of America’s Future Foundation. Connect with him on Facebook, LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter.

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