NY-23 Hoffman/Scozzafava: What Jim said.

This got triggered by the refutation of Dede Scozzafava’s allegation that John McCormack – John McCormack – screamed questions at her, I think. Jim Geraghty’s had enough, and so have I.

The time has come for the RNC and NRCC to ask for their money back. This goes well beyond any reasonable difference on policy. There’s room in the party for pro-choice Republicans and pro-gay marriage Republicans and maybe even the odd pro-card-check Republican. But not this kind of arrogance, this kind of clumsy dishonesty, this kind of reckless hostility to a reporter and a publication that need not be an enemy.

The RNC and NRCC are better than the Scozzafava campaign; it’s time for them to demonstrate that they know how a candidate and her staff are supposed to react when asked a question, and show that Scozzafava’s team’s behavior is just not acceptable.

It’s time for the national GOP to – reluctantly, and I understand their reluctance! – drop Dede Scozzafava and go with Doug Hoffman.  This isn’t a situation where the national party is overriding the will of local primary voters; it is a situation where a particular choice of candidate turned out to be the wrong one.  Bad choices may be reversed.  It’s also time for Ms. Scozzafava to act in the best interests of first the voters of NY-23; and second, the Republican party; by dropping out of the race.  As it stands she is helping the Democratic candidate, whose presence in Congress and support of the current ruling party would certainly hurt the former.

Moe Lane

Crossposted to RedState.