WASHINGTON, DC -- The American Conservative Union's political action committee, ACU PAC, today formally endorsed New York Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in the upcoming Special Election in New York's 23rd Congressional District.

ACU PAC Chairman David Keene said in announcing the endorsement that the New York State Conservative Party has given the people of the 23rd District the choice Republican leaders would deny them. "Doug Hoffman is an intelligent, sincere leader who can and will win this election and at the same time send a message to NY State GOP leaders that they won't be able to ignore," Keene said in releasing the endorsement.

Keene added that "like virtually all conservatives I am appalled by the decision of the New York Republican Party to support a Republican nominee who is among the most left wing Republicans ever to run for public office - anywhere." 

The GOP candidate, NY Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, "stands for higher taxes, bigger government, anti-family policies and just about everything that Republican voters oppose. The fact that she was ranked as the third most liberal member of the entire, very liberal, New York State Assembly says it all, " Keene said.

Keene said that on many issues Scozzafava would, if elected, vote with Nancy Pelosi.  "We don't need Pelosi-lite in Washington."

Keene worked for then Senator James L. Buckley in the seventies and said that Doug Hoffman will win this election for the same reason Buckley won statewide against two liberal candidates in 1970. "Republicans, Conservatives, Independents and moderate Democrats will rally to Doug because he represents their values and because no one wants to be forced to 'choose' between two virtually identical and equally distasteful major party candidates."

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The American Conservative Union (ACU) is the nation's largest conservative organization. ACU is the recognized authority on rating votes in Congress as published in the annual ACU RATINGS OF CONGRESS and the American Conservative Union Foundation (ACUF) is the host of the nationally attended Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) held annually in Washington, DC. On the web at: http://www.conservative.org/