Will This Week's Elections Be an Anti-Obama Referendum?
Sunday, November 1, 2009 at 05:51AM With several significant elections being held around the country on November 4, not the least of which is the Congressional race in New York, liberal Republican state Assembly woman Dierdre Scozzafava suspended her campaign as she lagged in the polls, giving a boost to Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman against Democrat Bill Owens.
Conservative Doug Hoffman gained the support of Sarah Palin when it became clear pro-abortion, pro-gay rights Republican Scozzafava was a RINO (Republican In Name Only), and Hoffman the true conservative.
The New Jersey Governor’s race between Democrat Jon Corzine and Republican challenger Chris Christie is in a dead heat because Independent candidate Daggett cut into Christie’s lead, but Christie may still win the governorship in NJ.
It’s all but certain Republican Robert McDonnell will defeat the current Democratic Governor Creigh Deeds in Virginia as he maintains a comfortable double digit lead in the polls, and this is being seen as a possible anti-Obama referendum.
So the question remains, will this week’s elections be a sweeping statement on President Obama’s presidency?
Barack Obama, Conservative, DNC, GOP, Politics, RNC 
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Reader Comments (13)
Amy the NY 23rd has been Republican for the last 9 elections and typically votes 66% Republican . In the last election they voted about typical at 65% so I guess we can look at them this year and see if Obama has had any effect from that norm. Would you care to make a prediction ? I think that they republicans will not do as well as they usually do there.
No they won't. In each of the cases, local issues predominate and most voters are quite aware that governors cannot fix the economy (even those who used to run Goldman Sachs). In the New York Congressional case, we have a demonstration of what is wrong with the Republican Party. New York's Republican Party used to be represented by leaders like Nelson Rockefeller and Jacob Javits - people with moderate views that could work together with people across the political spectrum to get things done.
Today it is clear that any divergence from the far-right ideology is not tolerated by the Republican Party, which means they have willingly and eagerly made themselves the party of the 20-25% of the electorate who are sufficiently misinformed to be far-right ideologues. They are saying "The Democrats are the big tent party, but we just have a pup tent." If you think for yourself, be a Democrat because we don't want you.
Does the Kool-Aid taste that good? White House advisor Valerie Jarrett is trying to spin support for conservative values the same way. The Republican Party (including Newt Gingrich) supported Dede Scozzafava until her withdrawal from the race. She quit because she knew she could not win. A poll showed her with 20% of the vote while Owens and Hoffman both had 35%. The voters left her not the GOP. Looks like the Daily Kos supported policies are the only marginalized group in this race.
I don't know if it's a referendum against Obama, per se, but a referendum against party monopolies in both the executive and legislative branches of the federal government. When such a monopoly happened during the Bush administration, the Republicans grew government every bit as much as Democrats before them and now, Democrats are growing it even faster and robbing states of their constitutional rights in the bargain.
I wouldn't call it a referendum, yet. However, I find it interesting that Congress has scheduled the vote on the health insurance bill until the results of the upcoming elections Tuesday are known.
Charles, you don't know what far-right is or what it's ideology is. To you, it's just a descriptor that fits anybody who opposes your Messiah, which makes it essentially meaningless in politics just as being called any other name has become a badge of honor more than an insult.
Hi, Amy, I was wondering...have you ever participated in the Soldiers Angels Valour IT Project? Sorry, I know this is off topic. Send me an email, would love to catch up. I know you have connection to the military community and it would be great to have you on board if you haven't been approached yet.
And yes, I think this week's elections are exciting because conservatives are determined to let their voices be heard in all of these races...
I don't know. On some issues I don't trust our Democrats locally, as they are way too conservative, and the Republican is the liberal. Then on the Statewide, and national scene I tend to support Dems and certain Republicans. The R's are going to have to do better than Palin if they want the next election. If Obama moves to the middle he will be re-elected.
A new poll by a fairly reliable group (Public Policy Polling) shows Hoffman ahead by 17%. A member of the MSM still managed to call the race "a real toss up." The jump in poll numbers may be due to Scozzafava's endorsement of Owens, which probably didn't sit wel with many republicans here in NY, even though many republicans in the 23rd are quite to the left.
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/mark-finkelstein/2009/11/02/politico-allens-idea-real-toss-hoffman-ahead-17
I think Frank Rich is worth quoting on this race:
"The battle for upstate New York confirms just how swiftly the right has devolved into a wacky, paranoid cult that is as eager to eat its own as it is to destroy Obama. The movement’s undisputed leaders, Palin and Beck, neither of whom has what Palin once called the “actual responsibilities” of public office, would gladly see the Republican Party die on the cross of right-wing ideological purity. Over the short term, at least, their wish could come true."
"Who exactly is the third-party maverick arousing such ardor? Hoffman doesn’t even live in the district. When he appeared before the editorial board of The Watertown Daily Times 10 days ago, he “showed no grasp” of local issues, as the subsequent editorial put it. Hoffman complained that he should have received the questions in advance — blissfully unaware that they had been asked by the paper in an editorial on the morning of his visit.
Last week it turned out that Hoffman’s prime attribute to the radical right — as a take-no-prisoners fiscal conservative — was bogus. In fact he’s on the finance committee of a hospital that happily helped itself to a $479,000 federal earmark. Then again, without the federal government largess that the tea party crowd so deplores, New York’s 23rd would be a Siberia of joblessness. The biggest local employer is the pork-dependent military base, Fort Drum."
Maybe Charles should talk to Joe Lieberman about a party who eats its own. What a laugh. Dede Scozzafava had an "Arlen Specter" party switcher sign pasted on her forhead. She even endorsed the Dem after bailing.
This one sentence deserves comments..
"If Obama moves to the middle he will be re-elected."
Some people do not yet understand that Obama hated the America of the middle as much as he did the America of the right. His rush is to try and get as much socialism passed as possible and to give enough to those who do not pay taxes to get them out to vote for more free stuff. His model is Hugo Chavez. Redistribute the wealth is all that this is about and through that gain ever increasing power. We now have about 45% of the voters who pay no taxes. If that gets over 50%, it is a disaster for they can simply vote themselves more benefits with no downside. Imagine a company where the workers voted themselves any benefits or raises they desired without consequence. The company would soon be broke. The same is true for our country and we are on the verge of collapse if Obama and his partners on the left are not stopped. A country founded on the basis that landowners only could vote now is trying to run under the same constitution where everyone can vote and the congress exempts themselves and federal workers from the laws they pass. No way to run a railroad. Any new taxes and all benefits that flow to those who do not pay taxes should need a super majority to pass that is at least 15% higher than the % of population that does not pay taxes. Or we should revamp the tax code to a flat tax with everyone who makes a dime paying something. there should be no free ride and any increase should be an equal percentage increase on everyone.
Most Dems and R's are moderates, and can locate common ground. We are Americans after all. This President is left of John Lennon as Johnny has said. It's tough not to be disturbed by that.
I think the Hoffman/Owens race shows that we the people are sick of a Republican Party that does not stand for traditional conservative values and yet are repulsed by the vile anti-God and anti-capitalist viewpoint of the radical lefties who are in control of the Democratic Party. Dede the Rino was chosen by party hacks but the people are the ones who, in the end, have the votes. Hoffman would have certainly won a primary fight with Scozzafava anyway. Time for the Elephants to kick out the RINOs and represent their base! Are you listening, Michael Steele?