Conservative Doug Hoffman out of race for northern NY House seat, was defeated in GOP primary

Conservative ends run for northern NY House seat

SARANAC LAKE, N.Y. — A Conservative Party candidate has dropped out of a U.S. House race in northern New York, telling his backers they should vote for the Republican who defeated him in last month’s primary.

Doug Hoffman says he didn’t intend to split the Republican vote when he decided to continue his run on the Conservative line after losing the GOP nomination to Matthew Doheny, who’s challenging incumbent Democrat Bill Owens for the 23rd Congressional District seat.

Owens won a special election last year after a challenge by the tea party-backed Hoffman forced Republican Dede Scozzafava (skoh-zuh-FAH’-vuh) out of the race. But Scozzafava’s name remained on the ballot and she and Hoffman split the GOP vote. That allowed Owens to narrowly win the seat Republicans had held for decades.

Hoffman’s decision was first reported Tuesday by the Adirondack Daily Enterprise.

Information from: Adirondack Daily Enterprise, www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/