NY-23: Hoffman Campaign Looks at Overturning the Election

[struggle4progress]

By David Weigel 11/12/09 11:05 AM
On election night, Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman conceded defeat to Democratic candidate Bill Owens after dramatically under-performing in key counties and deciding that he couldn’t overcome the gap. Today, the campaign is “looking very closely” at a recanvass of the district that has revealed, as recanvasses often do, screw-ups in the initial count. What was a 5,335-vote margin for Owens on election night is now a 3,026-vote margin, due largely to initial under-reporting of Hoffman votes in Oswego County and Jefferson County. According to Mark Weiner’s report, the Hoffman campaign is leaving open the option of legal challenges if a recanvass goes Hoffman’s way. I talked to Hoffman’s spokesman Rob Ryan, who said the campaign is keeping its own count, and that lawyers have checked out the polling places that reported the bogus numbers. But he was bearish on the campaign’s chances of a post-facto upset. “It’s not something I would place a bet on,” said Ryan. “Even if the margin had been 3,000 votes on election night, we would have conceded. We just might have done it later” ... http://washingtonindependent.com/67535/ny-23-hoffman-campaign-looks-at-overturning-the-election


Hoffman 'seriously considering' 2010 run
By Jordan Fabian - 11/12/09 12:39 PM ET
Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman, who lost the hotly contsted New York special House election, said Thursday that he "seriously considering" another run at the seat next year. In an interview with the conservative magazine Human Events, Hoffman said the key to returning the district into Republican hands is to hold an open primary. Hoffman challeneged Republican nominee Dede Scozzafava from the right after conservatives complained that she held too many liberal positions. Conservatives also pointed out that she was selected by less than a dozen party chairmen in the 23rd district as opposed to a primary election. After Scozzafava dropped out three days before Election Day, Hoffman was shown to have a lead in the polls. But Democratic candidate Bill Owens won the election by a margin of 49 to 47 percent after earning Scozzafava's endorsement. Owens became the first Democrat to represent the district since the mid-19th century ... http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/67549-hoffman-seriously-considering-2010-run-

[Aramchek]

1. Doug FAILman?

[aquart]

2. Still missing the point, isn't he?

[struggle4progress]

4. A bunch of wingnuts are missing the point. There's been a little wingnut buzz about

overturning the NY-23 election -- but, of course, Owens was sworn in after Hoffman conceded, so it's a bit late for second thoughts

[tblue]

3. I'm sure that district regrets passing up that electrifying blast of excitement

for their Congressman.

[struggle4progress]

5. Hoffman's 'miracle' not likely as votes counted

ABSENTEE BALLOTS: Hoffman gain modest; Scozzafava doing well
By JUDE SEYMOUR
TIMES STAFF WRITER
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2009

... Republican Dierdre K. Scozzafava is far exceeding her showing on Election Day, making the Lake Placid accountant's chances of a "miracle" comeback almost impossible.

Mr. Hoffman added 814 absentees votes to his 65,787 at the ballot box, but still trails Mr. Owens by 2,959 votes. There are 5,570 absentee votes in eight of the 11 counties still left to be counted ...

Ms. Scozzafava suspended her campaign three days before Election Day, driving down her totals at the ballot box. The late decision, however, appears not to have hurt her standing among absentee voters. The Republican assemblywoman has taken 23.7 percent of those votes so far ...

Mr. Hoffman so far has been unable to capitalize, earning 44 percent of absentee votes after receiving 46.4 percent support on Election Day ...

http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20091118/NEWS03/311189949/0/FRONTPAGE