Plattsburgh, NY, Nov 20, 2009 — While Doug Hoffman was raising allegations of vote-tampering here in the North Country, Rep. Bill Owens was working in Washington DC. He was sworn in on November 6 and this week Democrats gave Owens high profile appointments to the House Armed Services Committee and the Homeland Security Committee. Owens, a Democrat from Plattsburgh, spoke yesterday with Brian Mann.  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

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