NY-23

In last night's off-year elections, the biggest surprise came out of the special election in New York's 23rd congressional district. Those upstate voters were asked to choose a replacement for Republican John McHugh, who was named Secretary of the Army by President Obama earlier this year. Because the state Republican Party nominated a moderate to run in the contest to fill out the last year of McHugh's term, the national fascists had a temper-tantrum, sending the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin to stick their noses in the political affairs of a solid Republican, yet very moderate district.

The fascists endorsed a conservative third party candidate, resulting in a split among Republican base voters, which in turn caused the official Republican candidate to bow out of the the race this past weekend.

The Limbaugh-Palin wing of the GOP were absolutely giddy, and the Republicans who had endorsed their party's nominee were falling all over themselves to endorse the Conservative Party candidate. That candidate, Doug Hoffman, was on his way to victory and a seat in the United States House of Representatives.

But the voters had a different idea:

Bill Owens
Democratic
63,496
49.3%

Doug Hoffman
Conservative
58,161
45.2%

Dede Scozzafava*
Republican
7,137
5.5%

(*The Republican candidate's name remained on the ballot.)

The moderate Republican district essentially told Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh to fuck right off, thank you very much. And, for the first time since the Civil War, this area of upstate New York will be represented by a Democrat in congress.

Well...at least until next year's mid-term elections.