PLATTSBURGH —
As the Republican primary race for the 23rd Congressional District heats up, candidates Matt Doheny and Douglas Hoffman say they are ready to debate so the voters can see for themselves who the better man is.
"We are excited about this, and we think people need to see us and hear us so they can compare our positions and strengths to see who has the ability to win in November," Doheny said last week.
Two debates have been scheduled in the 11-county district — one Sept. 1 in Plattsburgh, hosted by the Upstate New York Tea Party, which is endorsing Hoffman, and one in Saranac Lake on Sept. 7.
"I'd like to have more because it is such a big district, and we need to reach everybody," Doheny said.
Hoffman's camp said it is ready and willing to debate.
"The Hoffman campaign is looking forward to debates with Matt Doheny. Doug Hoffman wants Matt Doheny to explain his strong support for Dede Scozzafava, the years he spent working on Wall Street and what experience Matt has creating jobs in the North Country," Campaign Spokesman Rob Ryan said.
"The debates will show that Doug Hoffman is the real Republican in this race."
Doheny, an investment banker from Alexandria Bay who now lives in Watertown, and Hoffman, an accounting firm owner from Saranac Lake, are vying for the opportunity to take on Democratic incumbent Bill Owens, an attorney from Plattsburgh, in the November election.
Owens won the seat in a special election last year in a close race over Hoffman, who ran on the Conservative Party ticket.
Both Hoffman and Doheny sought the Republican nomination at that time, but party leaders chose St. Lawrence County Assemblywoman Dierdre "Dede" Scozzafava as the candidate.
Many Republicans criticized the choice, saying Scozzafava was too liberal to be the Republican candidate.
She dropped out of the race three days before the election as her poll numbers lagged, and threw her support behind Owens.
Polls show close race
While the primary is still more than three weeks away, a recent poll released by the National Review showed Doheny and Owens in a close race — with Owens at 41 percent of the vote and Doheny at 39 percent.
But Doheny is not looking past the Sept. 14 primary.
"We've been out there seven days a week meeting people and going to just about anything we can," he said.
"What we've heard has been encouraging, but we are continuing to build toward Sept. 14."
Owens's camp is not too concerned about polls.
"Bill is focusing on doing the job he was elected to do and is doing his best to create jobs and looking for ways to spur economic development," said Clay Schroers, Owens's campaign manager.
criticized for arrests
In recent weeks, Doheny has had to deal with the fallout of news of his two arrests in 2004 for boating while ability impaired, news that he released earlier this month.
"I put this out there as part of the transparency of my campaign, and I want people to know I am embarrassed about it, I regret that it happened and that I've learned from my mistakes," he said.
Hoffman's campaign criticized Doheny harshly for the arrests, including reports that Doheny was belligerent and had to be put in hand cuffs by the U.S. Coast Guard.
"As the father of a decorated New York state trooper and someone who has a deep and profound respect for the professionalism and commitment of our law enforcement, military and Homeland Security forces, I, quite frankly, find it disturbing that a candidate for Congress would act this way with individuals who are sworn to protect us," Hoffman said.
Doheny said he fully supports law enforcement.
"Again, this is embarrassing, and I want people to know that I deeply respect law enforcement at all levels and am supportive of them, and this will never happen again," he said.
"I think people will see this for what it is and put it in the proper context."
Owens's camp did not have much to say about the incidents.
"It's a private issue, and it was handled by the authorities, and we'll leave it at that," Schroers said.
leads in funding
In the arms race that is campaign funding, Doheny appears to have a sizeable advantage over Hoffman.
As of June 30, he had $1,382,411 cash on hand, according to the Federal Elections Commission, and Hoffman had $426,491.
Owens had $1,137,856.
"We've been out there, and we've been on television and radio, and we have a lot more media to come," Doheny said.
E-mail Joe LoTemplio at: jlotemplio@pressrepublican.com
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