Some of the most prominent names in national Republican Party politics are lining up against the GOP nominee in a key upstate New York House special election. | AP photo composite by POLITICO Top Republicans jump ship in NY-23

Some of the most prominent names in national Republican Party politics are lining up against the GOP nominee in a key upstate New York House special election, the latest being former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, who weighed in Friday.

In endorsing Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman in the Nov. 3 contest, Santorum joined former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, Minnesota Rep. Michelle Bachmann, former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, and former presidential candidate Steve Forbes, all of whom announced their backing for the conservative third-party candidate this week.


Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty suggested Friday that he might be the next well-known Republican to break with the party establishment and support Hoffman. When asked about the race Friday during an interview with ABC, he expressed frustration with GOP nominee Dede Scozzafava and said he will “probably” endorse in the race.

Scozzafava, a state assemblywoman who supports gay marriage, abortion rights and has a close relationship with leading labor officials in her region, has been the target of sustained criticism from conservatives who claim that she is so liberal that they cannot in good conscience support her candidacy. As evidence, they point to her unofficial endorsement from the leading liberal blog Daily Kos.

While Scozzafava can point to many other prominent conservatives who support her bid—including former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Republican leaders on Capitol Hill—this week’s surge of leading conservatives to Hoffman’s camp is a troubling sign for her campaign and the national GOP establishment since several of the recent Hoffman endorsers have significant followings and represent the most energetic part of the Republican base.

“I would prefer to not have to go up to New York to endorse and campaign for the conservative candidate. But Republicans lost the race when they nominated Dede,” Armey told POLITICO.

“It’s the first really great chance for small government conservatives to present themselves as attractive candidates in opposition to Obama,” he said. “We treat this is as an important opportunity for conservatives to win the race. We wish Republicans had picked a conservative.”

Asked why Palin, Thompson and the others joined him this week in endorsing Hoffman, Armey responded: “They see the need for us to make the point that policy positions of small government conservatives are what is needed for us to win this race. They understand how important this race is and that’s why I think they endorsed.”

Republican strategist Mary Matalin added that Hoffman’s endorsers “speak for all of us who came to the party in support of the fundamental/constitutional principles it represented.”

“We can disagree or compromise on marginal issues, but not freedom-quashing, government-grasping ones, like tax increases, anti-democratic card check, etc. Holding on to a seat won on those principles is worse than losing it,” she said. “Conversely, losing seats to articulate, conservative Democrats has proved to be the best defensive line holding back Obama’s expansive ambitions.”

In her endorsement of Hoffman Thursday night, Palin sounded a clear anti-party tone, writing that Hoffman was the candidate that “stands for the principles that all Republicans should share.”

“Political parties must stand for something. When Republicans were in the wilderness in the late 1970s, Ronald Reagan knew that the doctrine of ‘blurring the lines’ between parties was not an appropriate way to win elections,” Palin wrote in a statement on her Facebook page. “Republicans and conservatives around the country are sending an important message to the Republican establishment in their outstanding grassroots support for Doug Hoffman: no more politics as usual.”

The conservative star power rallying behind Hoffman has done more than generate buzz for his candidacy—his campaign reported raking in more than $100,000 in the 24 hours since Palin’s endorsement.

But while the conservative grassroots is thrilled by the big names that have come out in support of Hoffman, a number of top Republicans are warning that undercutting their own nominee sets a bad precedent before heading into the consequential 2010 midterm election.

In defending his endorsement of Scozzafava to the National Review, Gingrich warned conservatives that “if you seek to be a perfect minority, you’ll remain a minority.”

Other well-known Republicans have sought to sidestep the intra-party fight that has developed over the Republican-held House seat left vacant by the resignation of GOP Rep. John McHugh.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who is speaking next week to a Conservative Party dinner in Syracuse, has withheld his endorsement so far--something the dinner’s organizers tried to make clear in a statement.

“The sole purpose of our dinner event is to honor the long history of public service of our five Honorees. Governor Huckabee was gracious enough to help us celebrate the public service of these individuals, and to lend his integrity and commitment to Conservative principles to this event,” the statement read. “It is reprehensible that there are people out there who would seek to politicize our event under the cloak of anonymity without our knowledge or consent, and for no purpose other than to try to impress others of their political insight.”

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has also kept quiet on the race. Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom told POLITICO Friday that Romney is “following the race” though he did not have “any news to announce.”

One top Republican official in Washington said that many within the party’s establishment are worried by the support Hoffman has been able to attract, but don’t believe it’s indicative of any broader party fissures.

“It is a little surprising. [Scozzafava is] not the person I would have nominated, but she is still the party’s nominee,” said the insider. “It’s kind of the perfect storm up there where you have rival parties and individual conservatives who are taking one side or the other. It’s really unfortunate.”

“This is, I think, somewhat unique to the circumstances in New York, I have difficulty seeing this happen in another state,” the official said, pointing out that the Conservative Party has always had a strong following in that region of New York. “I don’t think it is something that is likely to occur elsewhere.”

But, the Republican added, “people are worried about us being marginalized in New York, and we’re doing a pretty good job of that.”