Sarah Palin, former Governor of Alaska, went public with an  endorsement today in the race in New York’s 23^rd  Congressional District, and in true Palin-style, she rocked the conventional wisdom by endorsing the Conservative Party Candidate, not the Republican

The people in New York’s 23^rd Congressional District are embroiled in a special election with three candidates: a Democrat, a Republican and a Conservative Party candidate.  National attention has been focused on the hotly contested race for some time, but never has the spotlight burned as brightly as it does today.

As has become her custom for breaking news, Sarah Palin chose Facebook as her platform of choice for the endorsement of Conservative Party candidate, Doug Hoffman.

Governor Palin wrote, “The people of the 23rd Congressional District of New York are ready to shake things up, and Doug Hoffman is coming on strong as Election Day approaches! He needs our help now.”

Palin also added, “The votes of every member of Congress affect every American, so it's important for all of us to pay attention to this important Congressional campaign in upstate New York. I am very pleased to announce my support for Doug Hoffman in his fight to be the next Representative from New York's 23rd Congressional district. It's my honor to endorse Doug and to do what I can to help him win, including having my political action committee, SarahPAC, donate to his campaign the maximum contribution allowed by law.”

"Our nation is at a crossroads, and this is once again a ‘time for choosing.’”

Palin endorsed Hoffman based on his principles, not his party affiliation.

“Doug Hoffman is committed to ending the reckless spending in Washington, D.C. and the massive increase in the size and scope of the federal government. He is also fully committed to supporting our men and women in uniform as they seek to honorably complete their missions overseas.”

Palin pulled no punches, and the old-guard Republican country-club set must have felt like she landed one right in the groin as she wrote, "And best of all, Doug Hoffman has not been anointed by any political machine.”

Peggy Noonan must have been overcome by the vapors upon reading that line, but it got better as Palin continued.

Palin lauded Hoffman while simultaneously lambasting the GOP and its lack of any moral or ideological rudder, even evoking the name of Ronald Reagan.  

”Doug Hoffman stands for the principles that all Republicans should share: smaller government, lower taxes, strong national defense, and a commitment to individual liberty.”

"Political parties must stand for something. When Republicans were in the wilderness in the late 1970's, Ronald Reagan knew that the doctrine of ‘blurring the lines’ between parties was not an appropriate way to win elections. Unfortunately, the Republican Party today has decided to choose a candidate who more than blurs the lines, and there is no real difference between the Democrat and the Republican in this race. This is why Doug Hoffman is running on the Conservative Party's ticket.”

While Palin did say that “there is no real difference between the Democrat and the Republican in this race”, she might very well have been throwing down the gauntlet for the GOP in general.   

In case you haven’t been paying attention, more and more people in poll and after poll, including the latest Presidential approval polls, are abandoning the two major “parties” like rats scurrying from a sinking ship, and are choosing instead to label themselves as “Independents”. 

It is this very spirit that drives the TEA Party and 912 movements, as well as other grass roots movements, like ResistNet that continue to grow in numbers even as both traditional parties shrink. 

With every new Facebook entry, both the DNC and GOP cringe, then deny that Palin matters.  It must genuinely irk them to no end that Palin can get border to border and coast-to-coast coverage from a single Facebook entry.  This must keep the Obama's and their TV scheduler up at night.

Palin has stood tall on all the issues from her right-on-the-money, “death panel” commentary about Obamacare, to the courage she shows today in her willingness to buck the GOP and endorse a Conservative Party Candidate.  Palin is re-writing the tired old rules every day.    

Meanwhile in direct contrast to Palin’s particular brand of feisty courage, 2012 GOP hopeful and the guy most likely to be voted “Whitest Man in America”, Tim Pawlenty, the Governor of Minnesota was asked today about who he endorses in the NY 23^rd. 

Pawlenty said, "You know I haven't been following that, I haven't studied the race at all. It's not that I would or wouldn't, I just don't know anything about it. I haven't taken the time to study their positions, their records, so I haven't taken a position on it."

Riveting Tim!

Publisher's Note:  Following Palin's endorsement Hoffman's campaign received over $116,000 in contributions in a single day.