Palin Bucks GOP, Backs Conservative

Limbaugh: VP should 'reacquaint himself' with Constitution

(NEWSER) - Joe Biden took aim at a variety of GOP and conservative opponents today at a rally for New York congressional candidate Bill Owens. The VP said Conservative candidate Douglas Hoffman was “handpicked” by Rush Limbaugh, adding that Hoffman is in line with conservatives like Sarah Palin who “will not tolerate” dissenting views, the Watertown Daily Times reports. Stand back! More»

Polling guru gives a post-mortem on last night's elections

(NEWSER) - The numbers are in, now it's time to make sense of them. Nate Silver breaks down last night's election results:

• Don’t blame Obama; Creigh Deeds and Jon Corzine were probably just weak candidates. In New Jersey, 57% of voters approved of Obama, but 27% of those supporters voted Republican anyway. In Virginia 20% of those who approved of Obama voted GOP.
• Democrats had turnout problems in Virginia; the voters who came out last night supported McCain 51-43 in 2008, a mirror image of that year's margin.

Hoffman calls Scozzafava a 'turncoat'

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin-backed conservative upstart Doug Hoffman called Dede Scozzafava a “turncoat” after the New York Republican state assemblywoman endorsed Hoffman’s Democratic opponent, Bill Owens. Scozzafava issued her surprise endorsement a day after pulling out of the upstate congressional race. With prominent conservatives backing Hoffman, an independent, Scozzafava had been running a distant third in the polls. “This afternoon Dede Scozzafava betrayed the GOP,” a spokesman for Hoffman said in a statement. More»

Win follows GOP moderate, conservative split

(NEWSER) - Retired Air Force Capt. Bill Owens has pulled off a major upset for the Democratic Party and won the closely watched election in New York state's 23rd congressional district. Owens was ahead of Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman 49% to 45% with 92% of precincts reporting, according to AP . Moderate Republican Dede Scozzafava received 6% of the vote despite withdrawing from the race over the weekend under pressure from the party's right wing. More»

Hoffman looks to pick up Scozzafava's supporters

(NEWSER) - With late polls inconclusive, Josh Kraushaar of Politico runs down five things to watch in the NY-23 congressional race as returns filter in:

• Dede Scozzafava's supporters: The big question is whether independent-minded GOP voters will go to her endorsed candidate, Democrat Bill Owens, or Conservative Doug Hoffman. Results from her stronghold of Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties will tell the tale.
• Syracuse region: This is neutral turf, and Hoffman needs "a decisive victory" here if he hopes to win.