Pawlenty Backs Conservative Candidate in NY House Race

ABC News’ Rick Klein reports: Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty today became the latest big-name Republican to endorse the Conservative Party candidate over the Republican nominee in the race for an upstate New York House seat. Pawlenty, R-Minn., joins former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and former House Majority Leader Dick Armey in backing Conservative nominee Doug Hoffman over Republican Dede Scozzafava in next Tuesday’s special election, in a race that’s fast emerging as a showdown over the future of the GOP. “We cannot send more politicians to Washington who wear the Republican jersey on the campaign trail, but then vote like Democrats in Congress on issues like card check and taxes,” Pawlenty said in a statement released to the conservative blog RedState.org. “After reviewing the candidates’ positions, I’m endorsing Doug Hoffman in New York’s special election. Doug understands the federal government needs to quit spending so much, will vote against tax increases, and protect key values like the right to vote in private in union elections.”
On ABCNews.com’s “Top Line” Friday, Pawlenty — widely mentioned as a potential 2012 presidential candidate — raised concerns about Scozzafava’s views on social issues, as well as the manner in which she was chosen to be the GOP nominee. "As a conservative I'm concerned about some of the alleged issue positions that she holds," Pawlenty said. "I want to be fair to both candidates and look at their records. But there are some things that [I] have been told that you know, she holds dear, that may not be consistent with conservative principles." Palin last week also backed Scozzafava, despite the warning from — among others — former House Speaker Newt Gingrich that Republicans need to unite behind the GOP candidate to grow their numbers in Congress. “Political parties must stand for something,” Palin wrote on her Facebook page. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee today went up with its first TV ad attacking Hoffman — a clear sign that they see the third-party candidate as a threat in their efforts to pick up the GOP-held seat. The ad attacks “millionaire Doug Hoffman” as supporting “more of the economic policies that failed us.”