Defining Scozzafava

Dede Scozzafava, the Republican candidate for the 23rd Congressional District, is in a precarious position.

Since the campaign started, Ms. Scozzafava has stressed her principled and independent position.

"If you ask me if I have the courage to stand up against my political party, I think I've demonstrated that, over the years, that I have that type of courage," the state assemblywoman told a labor group this week. "Whether it be one issue, two issues or three issues, I'll tell you I had to go through four regional forums - sometimes 100 Republicans in a room - it wasn't always easy, but I stood up for the issues I believed in. And unfortunately some of those issues shouldn't be Republican or Democrat issues; they should be civil right issues."

Ms. Scozzafava most famously bucked her party's position when she voted twice in favor of gay marriage. Those "independent" votes - as well as her support of abortion rights, the Employee Free Choice Act and the federal stimulus bill, among other things - were ultimately what convinced the Conservative Party to run a candidate against her.

Ms. Scozzafava didn't soften her position to appease the far-right part of her party, even though she must have recognized that it would ultimately cost her votes.

"I'm pretty independent. Any of you that know me pretty well, I stand my own ground on issues. You can tell right now that I'm taking a lot of flack for positions that I've taken in the past, but I'm not wavering in the wind," she said Wednesday. "I'm standing. Once I make my mind up on something, I stand solid. My mother always told me: 'You've got two ears and one mouth. You're to use it proportionally. Listen to the people you represent and try to listen to all sides of the situation. Once you make your determination on where you're going to vote, you stand your ground.' That's what I've done in the state Assembly. That's what I'll do in Congress for the people in the 23rd Congressional District."

When conservatives ratcheted up the intensity about her so-called "liberal" leanings, the GOP leadership in Washington tried to put out the fire.

Roll Call reported Wednesday that Rep. Pete Sessions, Republican Congressional Committee chairman, "assured" those attending the GOP's weekly conference meeting "that despite Scozzafava's moderate leanings - she has voted in support of gay marriage in the New York Assembly and favors some abortion rights - she will be voting with the Republican conference 95 percent or more of the time."

That may be true. After all, New York Public Interest Research Group's Bill Mahoney noted in his analysis of votes taken during the last year in the state Legislature that "Assemblymembers Oaks, Butler, Barclay, Calhoun and Scozzafava all voted with the minority leaders between 93 and 94 percent of the time, making them the members of their party to do so the most."

But Mr. Sessions' remarks undercut Ms. Scozzafava's "principled and independent" message that could help her woo independents and right-leaning Democrats.

This was a fact not lost on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, who seized on Mr. Sessions' remarks to brand Ms. Scozzafava "a loyal partisan."

"It's clear that Albany politician Dede Scozzafava's real priority is toeing her party's line and serving her own politics, not the best interests of her constituents," said Shripal Shah, the DCCC's spokesman. "Her rhetoric on being an independent and principled representative for her district has no credibility."

Of course, that's the opposite of what Ms. Scozzafava has said.

One final thought. This district supported former Rep. John McHugh for 16 years, often delivering more than 60 percent of the vote for him. Like Ms. Scozzafava, his support of abortion rights cost him the Conservative nomination in some of his elections. That issue, as well as his support for labor's priorities, like Employee Free Choice Act, made many consider him a "moderate" Republican.

Mr. McHugh continually bucked his party, but he continually got elected. He voted with Republican leadership 77.3 percent of the time during the last Congressional session, which made him the third most independent voter in the entire Congress.

This district is looking for an independent mind. The question is: Does the voter believe Ms. Scozzafava or do they believe her opponents?