Saranac Lake, NY, Nov 04, 2009 — This summer Doug Hoffman, an accountant from Lake Placid, erupted into a national political phenomenon. With the backing of national conservative figures from Sarah Palin to Rush Limbaugh, Hoffman defied the Republican Party and tried to capture the NY-23 House seat. He managed to scuttle Republican Dede Scozzafava's campaign, but fell short last night. Brian Mann reported on the scene in Saranac Lake.  Go to full article

Canton, NY, Nov 04, 2009 — The special election, concluded last night, was closely watched and heavily financed. It was sliced and diced by pollsters, pundits and observers going into the election, and certainly coming out, after the clear win by Democratic newcomer Bill Owens. NCPR's Brian Mann and David Sommerstein have been following this short, quick race and they joined Martha Foley for a post-election chat.  Go to full article

Watertown, NY, Nov 02, 2009 — The race to replace John McHugh is down to its last frenzied day after a shocking weekend. Republican Dede Scozzafava dropped out on Saturday, after a Siena poll showed her trailing badly. Then on Sunday, Scozzafava bucked her party and threw her support behind Democrat Bill Owens. That leaves Owens and Conservative Doug Hoffman, who both benefit from star power appearances today. Jonathan Brown talks with David Sommerstein about the second last day of campaigning.  Go to full article

Saranac Lake, NY, Nov 02, 2009 — Over the weekend, shockwaves ran through the North Country's political culture. First Republican Dede Scozzafava dropped out of the special election to replace Congressman John McHugh. Then, on Sunday, Scozzafava announced that she is endorsing Democrat Bill Owens. The Republican and the Democrat appeared together at campaign event yesterday at the VFW hall in Canton. Owens, an attorney from Plattsburgh, remains locked in a tight race with third-party Conservative Doug Hoffman, an accountant from Lake Placid. Brian Mann followed developments as they unfolded and has our story.  Go to full article

Oct 29, 2009 —  Go to full article

Plattsburgh, NY, Oct 28, 2009 — This evening, two of the three candidates for the 23rd congressional district house seat will take part in a debate in the E. Glenn Giltz auditorium. That's in Hawkins Hall at SUNY Plattsburgh. The forum begins at 5 pm and North Country Public Radio will broadcast the program beginning at 7 o'clock, following All Things Considered. Martha Foley talks with NCPR Adirondack bureau chief, Brian Mann, who is one of the debate co-moderators.  Go to full article

Syracuse, NY, Oct 27, 2009 — The special election for John McHugh's seat is a week from Tuesday. The three-way race between Republican Dede Scozzafava, Democrat Bill Owens, and Conservative Doug Hoffman is tight and nasty. The campaigns are fighting it out in expensive ad campaigns and dueling press releases. But the opportunities for actual debate between the candidates are dwindling. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

Saranac Lake, NY, Oct 22, 2009 — This week, North Country Public Radio is profiling the three candidates vying to replace Congressman John McHugh. The best known of the three is Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, a veteran Republican from Gouverneur. Scozzafava has been a fixture in the region's political life for a decade, and her family has deep ties in the North Country. When she won the GOP nomination this summer, Scozzafava was widely viewed as the front-runner. Her moderate views seemed like a perfect fit in a district that has been trending Democratic. But as Brian Mann reports, Scozzafava's campaign sparked a fierce conservative backlash.  Go to full article

Oct 15, 2009 — A new poll out this morning by the independent Siena Research Institute finds that Democrat Bill Owens, the newcomer from Plattsburgh, has taken the lead over Republican Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava. Owens now leads 33%-29%, with Conservative Doug Hoffman trailing with 23%.

Meanwhile, two of the most influential political journals in Washington are reporting that Republican Dede Scozzafava is struggling in the final weeks of the special election. Roll Call and Politico say Scozzafava has been seriously damaged by political attacks from Conservative candidate Doug Hoffman. They also report that she is being outspent significantly by Democrat Bill Owens. That's a surprising turn of events in a congressional district long dominated by the GOP. According to Politico, Scozzafava has spent less than $30,000 on TV spots in the campaign so far. Owens, meanwhile, has spent more than $300,000, launching a media blitz across the sprawling 23rd district.

Brian Mann checked in with Matt Burns, spokesman for the Scozzafava campaign. Burns acknowledged that Scozzafava is being outspent. But says the veteran Assemblywoman will have enough money to compete in the final weeks of the race.  Go to full article

Canton, NY, Oct 14, 2009 — Governor David Paterson made a "campaign-style" swing through the North Country yesterday. He repeated his pledge to run for a full term as governor next year. He told St. Lawrence County Democrats at their annual dinner in Canton that he can win, despite historically low poll numbers for a sitting Governor. Martha Foley has more.  Go to full article