NY-23 as 2012 litmus test?

Looks as though Scozzafava may be toast. Personally I'd rather have a Democrat that an ultra liberal Republican; Betrayers within your own ranks do far more harm than your enemy.

The Iowa caucuses may be more than two years from now but a series of moves by potential Republican presidential contenders has turned a special election in New York's 23rd district into an early test of conservative bona fides.

In the last week three GOPers with an eye on 2012 -- former House speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.), Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and former Alaska governor Sarah Palin -- have weighed in on the race with Tpaw and Palin throwing their support behind Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman and Gingrich endorsing state Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava.

(Polling and conversations with those close to the contest on both sides suggest it is now a two-person race between Hoffman and Democrat Bill Owens with Scozzafava fading badly.)

Both Palin and Pawlenty cast the contest as a fight for the future direction of the Republican party in announcing their decisions to back Hoffman. Palin said her endorsement would send a message to GOP leaders of "no more politics as usual" while Pawlenty said that "we cannot send more politicians to Washington who wear the Republican jersey on the campaign trail, but then vote like Democrats in Congress."

Gingrich, for his part, insisted in an e-mail to the Fix that the special election was not -- and should not be interpreted as -- a conservative litmus test, and explained that his endorsement of Scozzafava was entirely about respecting local party leaders.

And to Newt in 2012, Goodbye, see ya, wouldn't wanta be ya.