Update: Fox Calls It For Owens - NY - 23: Hoffman Closing - No Call Tonight?

Update: No link, yet.

With a 2,500 vote margin for Owens, 10,000 absentee ballots to be counted and some machines having problems, NY - 23 may not see a call tonight. Scozzafava throwing her support to Owens and being on the ballot - people voting straight GOP would have voted for her unknowingly in some cases, it could be Scozzafava was as much trouble in leaving as she was in coming.

As best I can tell, there were two perfectly acceptable candidates who split the majority on the first ballot. Neither one would have caused any notice within the base. If this turns out to be a loss for Hoffman, those are some of the factors to consider. This race pales in comparison to NJ. It should be noted that McDonnell ran away from some of his hard-line positions, though he is certainly a conservative. And Christie wouldn't exactly be a Movement fav for some of his views.

Whatever the result, I think there are lessons for everyone coming out of NY - 23. And I hope everyone learns them. I'll have more thoughts after the race is called.

Democrat Bill Owens is leading in the 23rd Congressional District race.

The Plattsburgh attorney has 57,050 votes compared to Conservative Doug Hoffman, a Lake Placid CPA, with 54,538 votes.

Dede Scozzafava, a Republican who dropped out of the race Saturday, has 6,982 votes.

There are more than 10,000 absentee votes to still be counted.

Comments

[Mountaineer]

Republican's can claim victories in NJ and VA, and that OK. But neither result placed a conservative into a position of power. The results are better than what was there, but no more. I'm afraid conservatism did not win tonight, and so I do not count these results as either a victory or defeat, but a temporary stop-gap. We will see if conservatives can rally in 2010.

[Dave]

Looks as if you're a yabba dabba LOSER

[Dan Riehl]

Yabba Dabba Dede is the loser. Hell, I don't even live in NY - 23. Whatchu talkin' 'bout, sucka?

[Rich K]

Dont ya just love our buddies like Dave Dan. They dont get it so Ill explain it. Hoffman 3 weeks ago was a fringe guy to most in this district as in "who the f_ks that". And now on election night he garners well at least 49% of the vote in the district that never even knew who he was a month ago.And now he has a year to solidify this position to run against Owens next fall. Maybe even getting help from the stupid party in the process this time. So its a damn good place to be for him no matter if he squeeks out a W in the late returns or not.
There,I hope that makes it clear to the feeble minds who dont and cant see big pictures unless you shove them up their backsides where their eyes always seem to be fixed..

[mark l.]

a possiblity on the absentee ballots?

i'm pretty sure fort drum, home of the 10th mtn division, is in jefferson county-ny 23.

not that it would matter, as hoffman probably wasn't viable, before they had to mail it in. Scoffaza wins the absentee ballots in a landslide.

[crosspatch]

Small town folk don't like outsiders coming in and telling them they have the "wrong" candidate and who they should vote for. They are liable to do just the opposite of what the outsider wants just to spite them. And they would probably tell pollsters they were voting for one when they actually voted for the other just to spite them, too. It is a one year seat. Isn't critical in the makeup of the House, Owens can't do much damage in 12 months. The seat will come around in a year and the country will be too busy with hundreds of other races to worry about NY-23. Then the voters will take their seat back. They are all probably having a good laugh over a cold beer tonight.