POLL: DEAD HEAT IN NY CONGRESSIONAL RACE

INDEPENDENT HOFFMAN SURGES TO
VIRTUAL TIE WITH DEMOCRAT OWENS
GOP's SCOZZAFAVA FADING QUICKLY
REAL CLEAR POLITICS: Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman has dramatically closed the gap on front-running Democrat Bill Owens in the latest Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll. Owens leads the poll at 33 with Hoffman close behind at 32 percent. Republican Dede Scozzafava stands at 21 percent. . . . As late as one week ago, Owens held a substantial lead over Scozzafava, 35 percent to 30 percent, with Hoffman bringing up third place with 23 . . . READ MORE

INDEPENDENTS BREAK TOWARD
HOFFMAN IN LATEST NY23 POLL
HOT AIR: According to the latest poll taken in New York's 23rd Congressional District, Doug Hoffman holds a commanding lead among independent voters. The Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll shows independents favor Hoffman by 19 points over Bill Owens and by 36 over Dede Scozzafava. However, there is still a sizeable number of undecided voters according to the poll . . . READ MORE

SCOZZAFAVA ENDORSED
BY DISTRICT NEWSPAPER
WATERTOWN DAILY TIMES: The largest regional newspaper in the hotly-contested 23rd Congressional District of New York has endorsed Republican Dede Scozzafava over her two challengers to fill the House seat vacated by John McHugh earlier this year. Citing her experience and her willingness to work in a bipartisan fashion to bring federal tax money to the district . . . READ MORE

TEXAS GOV. PERRY ENDORSES
DOUG HOFFMAN FOR CONGRESS
DALLAS MORNING NEWS : Texas Governor Rick Perry has endorsed Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in the NY-23 special election. Perry said, in a fund-raising e-mail, that he considers Hoffman "the only real conservative in the race." Perry's endorsement joins those of former Senator and presidential candidate Fred Thompson, former Alaska Governor and vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin . . . READ MORE

ROMNEY KEEPS POWDER DRY,
WON'T ENDORSE IN NY23 RACE
CNN: Former Massachusetts Governor and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney demurred from endorsing either Dede Scozzafava or Doug Hoffman at at a campaign rally in Virginia. Romney said that his lack of endorsement "should speak a certain amount of volume. I can't endorse our candidate in that race" . . . READ MORE

BLOG COVERAGE: American Spectator, Ed Driscoll, The Daley Gator, Not One Red Cent,

LIVE NEWS COVERAGE: Stacy McCain, 73 Wire

BREAKING: GEORGE PATAKI ENDORSESDOUG HOFFMAN FOR NY-23 SEAT

PATAKI DROPS BOMBSHELL ON
SCOZZAFAVA, REPUBLICANS

REDSTATE: Former New York Governor George Pakati has formally endorsed Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman tonight. In a statement obtained by Erick Erickson of the RedState blog, Pataki says that he believes Hoffman "will stand tall against those who despise our freedoms and...will be a vigilant stalwart against those who would substitute government programs for individual initiative." Pataki, who has been approached by the Republicans for a possible Senate run in 2010, remains very popular in upstate New York and his unequivocal endorsement is likely to carry a great deal of weight.

SCOZZAFAVA DINGS OPPONENTS ON EXPERIENCE,
CLAIMS NEVER TO HAVE VOTED TO RAISE TAXES.

SYRACUSE POST-STANDARD: For Dede Scozzafava, Thursday afternoon's debate was a game of quick offensive and defensive shifts. With her record under assault from both her opponents, the Republican candidate highlighted her years of service and the particular knowledge about local issues that experience had given her. Her charge that whoever wins the race should "have an understanding of the issues rather than national syndicated shows" seemed aimed specifically at Doug Hoffman. She also claimed that her voting record had been distorted by both men and that she has never voted for a tax increase. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has claimed that Scozzafava voted for 190 tax and fee increases, a charge the Watertown Daily Times considered specious.