The New York Observer » Dede Scozzafava

After NY-23, Duprey is Challenged on the Right

ALBANY—The first of what was predicted as "challenges" after the Democratic Congressional victory in the North Country has materialized: a former Republican official announced he will run in a primary against Assemblywoman Janet Duprey.

Dave Kimmel, who was the party chair in the Town of Plattsburgh, will publicly announce his bid against Duprey Read More

The Gay-Marriage Opponents Are Safe, For Now

They may be on the wrong side of history, but—at least for the near future—most of the New York state senators who voted down gay marriage on Wednesday will not pay a political price.

The measure lost by a surprisingly lopsided 38-24 count, with eight Democrats joining all 30 of the chamber's Republicans in opposition. Read More

Rick Lazio Checks In

ALBANY—Rick Lazio said he doesn't see himself as a third-party candidate for governor.

"I haven't really considered that point, because I don't think I'll ever get there. I'm really confident we'll have the Republican nomination and the Conservative nomination," Lazio told me by phone this afternoon. He's taking all the attention he can Read More

How About Some Questions for the Inquisitors?

The set-up for Sunday's "Face the Nation" was pretty irresistible - Dede Scozzafava appearing live with Dick Armey, the prickly Texan who helped sabotage her upstate congressional campaign this fall.

Alas, the follow-through was lacking.

Scozzafava and Armey were invited for a segment pegged to last week's news that the national G.O.P. may Read More

Doug Hoffman, Effusive as Ever

ALBANY—He ran for Congress as an outsider, the non-politician who was fed up with the course of government. It shouldn't be too surprising that he's never been to the State Capitol.

I found Doug Hoffman gawking at the chamber's ornate ceiling, indulging what he monotonically insisted is a deep passion for architecture, chatting Read More

How Gaspard Engineered NY-23

Guess who engineered Republican Dede Scozzafava's endorsement of her erstwhile Democratic opponent, Bill Owens, in New York's newly, temporarily famous 23rd District?

Naturally, it was the president's Brooklyn-based, "no fingerprints" political fixer Patrick Gaspard--who was last seen urging Governor David Paterson to go along quietly into New York's political night--reports Jason Horowitz Read More

Dede Loses Leadership Post

ALBANY—Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava has resigned her leadership post in the chamber, after she endorsed a Democrat when her Congressional bid collapsed.

"Today, I had a thorough and frank discussion with Assemblywoman Scozzafava," Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb said in a statement. "As a result, Dede has tendered, and I accepted, her resignation as Read More

Owens, Now, Comes Out for the Health Care Bill

ALBANY—Bill Owens, who is being sworn in as a member of Congress today, has announced his intention to vote for the health care restructuring bill backed by Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama. He resisted taking a specific position on the issue throughout his campaign.

Owens announced the vote in a press release and Read More

Labor Brags About the Owens Win

SARANAC LAKE—It did come down to a battle of the boots here in the 23rd Congressional district, and the unions which aligned by Bill Owens at the last minute are touting their victory.

"The late labor candidate won," said Ron McDougall, the president of the Jefferson-Lewis-St. Lawrence Central Labor Council (and the husband Read More

Democrats, Local and National, Thank Dede and Take Credit for Owens

SARANAC LAKE—It wasn't the political right, but rather the Democrats who sent a message in Bill Owens' successful bid to replace John McHugh in Congress.

"Tonight with the entire country watching, Upstate New Yorkers sent a message," Owens said at his victory party in Plattsburgh. "We came together tonight as Democrats, Republicans, and Read More

Kasprzak: There Will Be Challenges

PLATTSBURGH—Mayor Don Kasprzak was one of the first Republican officials to openly endorse Doug Hoffman over Dede Scozzafava (before her candidacy collapsed) in his bid for Congress, and is warning there might be "challenges" for other Republicans who were late to, or have not yet arrived at, the party.

"Oh, I'm pretty Read More

Owens: Vote for Me, the Guy Who Loves Jobs and Dede and Is Not Doug Hoffman

PLATTSBURGH—Here's Bill Owens' closing argument in his Congressional bid, delivered after he cast his vote this morning at the South Plattsburgh Recreation Center.

"I think that people have a clear choice at this time. We can go backwards into the Bush agenda, which includes tax cuts for the very wealthy, privatization of social security Read More

How Labor Works (Now) for Owens

PLATTSBURGH—The door to Bill Owens' Durkee Street war room is marked with marker on a white board, probably because it was working against him until this Saturday.

I found half a dozen members of NYSUT and the AFL-CIO there, making calls in a fourth-floor conference center next to a pile of glossy door-hangers, water bottles Read More

Bill Owens Against Rush, Those Who Would Abuse Dede

PLATTSBURGH—Here's a new theme of the Owens campaign: vote for me because I'm not one of those horrible people who are mistreating Dede Scozzafava.

The Democratic Party's congressional candidate interrupted a supporter at the Clinton County Democratic headquarters here on Route 3 to call comments made by radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh "obscene." This Read More

Scozzafava Calls for Owens

ALBANY—Dede Scozzafava has cut a robocall for Bill Owens.

The full script is below, but Scozzafava says Owens will be "the only candidate who can build upon John McHugh's lasting legacy in Congress."

Scozzafava endorsed Owens on Sunday. The robocall does not mention Hoffman--now backed by the Republican establishment--but does emphasize the race Read More