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Bill Owens on Principles & ValuesDemocratic Representative (NY-23) |
As would become a pattern in elections to come, the Tea Party movement "nationalized" this election. Activists from all over N.Y. were getting involved in Hoffman's underdog bid.
[Third in the polls], Scozzafava, the Republican, endorsed the Democrat, Bill Owens. "Since beginning my campaign, I have told you that this election is not about me; it's about the people of this district," she claimed. "It is in this spirit that I am supporting Bill Owens for Congress and urge you to do the same."
Owens ended up winning by capturing 48% of the vote, with the Hoffman receiving 46%. Everyone agreed that Scozzafava's decision to team with the Democratic Party had been the margin of difference in Hoffman's defeat.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has added nine candidates to its "Red to Blue" list, a designation singling out strong campaigns in open or Republican-held districts. The list now includes two categories: targeted districts and "emerging" districts which may be targeted later.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is funding two programs [mostly via PAC-funded TV advertising] in the 2014 cycle: "Red-to-Blue" in Republican-held districts, and "Frontline" to defend Democratic-held districts.
Press Release from DCCCDemocratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel named 26 of his colleagues to the Frontline program, a committee program designed to protect their most vulnerable incumbents. "We call this program Frontline for a reason--these Members are on the vanguard of protecting and expanding the middle class," Israel said in a written statement. "While the 2014 campaign will be dominated by a strong offense taking on the Tea Party Republican Congress, our success begins with our Members," added Israel, a Democrat from New York. "These battle-tested men and women have proven time and again that they can win because no one better reflects the values of their districts."
Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn. will spearhead the program as its chairman. He's a Frontline alumnus as recently as the 2012 cycle. Otherwise, the list includes several freshman members and Blue Dog Democrats: