Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Re: The Watchman   [Jonah Goldberg]

John — I agree with your Rubio analysis and I hope Hoffman wins and I hope, if anything, even more that Rubio wins.

But it is worth clarifying that there is an important difference between the Rubio insurgency and the Hoffman insurgency. Rubio is challenging Crist from within the GOP in a proper primary. One of the justifications for Hoffman bolting to the Conservative party was that there was no proper primary in NY-23. You can't say the same thing about Florida.

I think Newt was wrong to back Scozzafava, but he's right that the Hoffman precedent is of limited value for other contests and could be destructive if followed elsewhere. Ideally, Rubio will win his insurgency from within the party (and I very much think he will). But if in the unfortunate circumstance he loses in the primary, he shouldn't then mount a third-party challenge.

Update: Readers tell me the law bars a third-party run. Makes sense. I think my point's still valid.

11/03 01:25 PMShare