The Republican civil war in the special NY-23 congressional race — in which a moderate GOP candidate dropped out and endorsed a Democrat after prominent Republicans defected to support Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman — will be a factor in 2010 House races, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said during today’s press briefing.
I think many in the Republican Party hung out a sign, as you heard people at the White House say this weekend, that moderates need not apply. I do think that has ramifications for next year.
“I think there are a host of primaries that will affect 2010 next year that pit moderate Republican candidates and conservative Republican candidates.”
Gibbs also offered some thoughts on why Republican Dede Scozzafava endorsed Democrat Bill Owens.
“I think that what the candidate, the former Republican nominee decided was, (she) talked to, I’m sure, both Republicans and Democrats, both in New York and nationally, about who she thought was best suited to carry out the things that she cared about and believed in and she decided that that candidate was the Democrat.”
