NY-23: Independence Party Chairman Endorses Bill Owens
I just got off the phone with Frank MacKay, state chairman of the New York Independence Party, a powerful third party which had endorsed Republican candidate
Jul 31, 2020977 Shares162.8K Views
I just got off the phone with Frank MacKay, state chairman of the New York Independence Party, a powerful third party which had endorsed Republican candidate Dede Scozzafava in the NY-23 special election. While Scozzafava has suspended her campaign, she will remain on the ballot as the candidate of the Republican and Independence Parties. MacKay can’t change that, but he told TWI that the party probably made a mistake in endorsing her over Democratic candidate Bill Owens.
“Some of our local organizations have endorsed Hoffman now that Scozzafava is out, and I want to be careful and respect their decisions,” said MacKay, who lives in downstate Suffolk County. “I don’t have a vote in the district. But if I did, I would vote for Bill Owens.”
MacKay said that the party — whose support of Rep. Scott Murphy (D-N.Y.) might have helped him win the tight NY-20 special election this year — might have erred in endorsing Scozzafava.
“If I knew how chaotic the Scozzafava campaign was going to be, I would have gone with Owens in the beginning,” said MacKay. “That certainly was a disastrous campaign.”
Hajra Shannon
Reviewer
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