Hoffman promised Conservative chair he'd run until November

Douglas L. Hoffman will actively campaign as the Conservative Party candidate regardless of the outcome in the GOP primary in the 23rd Congressional District.

Mr. Hoffman, Saranac Lake, has always been dodgy about what he'd do if he lost Sept. 14 - usually brushing off the question as a hypothetical.

But the Conservative Party made some of its congressional candidates sign pledges to run a "full, committed campaign" through to Nov. 2.

Robert H. Ryan, Mr. Hoffman's spokesman, said his candidate "did not have to sign a pledge, but it was a verbal commitment he made to Mike Long, the (state Conservative Party) chairman."