Steele: Scozzafava backlash was the primary

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By Joseph Weber

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael S. Steele on Tuesday questioned party leaders in upstate New York for using a committee process to select a congressional candidate, but said the ensuing public discourse served as a de facto primary that led to conservatives getting the best candidate.

"What you saw was a primary process -- that would have happened -- unfold before your very eyes," Mr. Steele said about the efforts of high-profile conservatives and others that in part led Republican nominee Dede Scozzafava to quit three days before Tuesday's election.

"Maybe you should have a primary the next time instead of having 11 guys in a room sit around and select your nominee," he added. "There's some lessons to be learned here."

Mr. Steele told The Washington Times' "American's Morning News" radio show that the national committee had an obligation to back the decision of the 11 county chairmen in the state's 23rd Congressional District who picked Mrs. Scozzafava as the Republican nominee despite concerns about her liberal politics.

"She's not the candidate that I would have selected," he said, "but I don't live in that district. . . . My job is to support whomever is elected by the local party."

Republican voters have since backed New York Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in his close race against Democratic nominee Bill Owens.

Mr. Hoffman has no prior political experience but a strong conservative stance on most issues. Mr. Owens is businessman and lawyer.

"Doug Hoffman is a Republican," Mr. Steele said. "I had two Republicans in the race. We had a liberal and a conservative. One way, we're going to win."

Mr. Steele also disputed the suggestion that the national committee is partial to moderate candidates and has not done enough to promote a conservative platform.

"If you live in a moderate community, who do you think is going to win those primary and general elections?" he asked. "I'll say it over and over again: We are the conservative party."

A Siena Research Institute poll released Saturday showed Mrs. Scozzafava had 20 percent of the vote in the upstate New York district, trailing Mr. Owens (36 percent) and Mr. Hoffman (35 percent).