From the November 1 Washington Times article, “GOP Nominee for New York seat quits race”:

The surprise move leaves New York Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman, with no prior political experience but a strongly conservative stance on virtually all issues, as the sole competitor against businessman and lawyer Bill Owens, the state Democratic Party's nominee, in a race most polls say is too close to call.

“It's an immense victory for the Conservative Party,” a jubilant Mike Long, the state party's longtime chairman and a powerhouse in New York politics, told The Washington Times. “It shows the GOP gave courage to other Republicans to make the move to Hoffman against their own party's nominee.”

“In the beginning no one believed we could prevail, and nearly everyone accused us of being spoilers,” Mr. Long told The Times. “But we were given the opportunity to help take back the country for the taxpayers, beginning with the 9/12 movement and the anti-spending 'tea parties.' ”

[...]

In a move that perplexed many of his conservative supporters, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich had endorsed Mrs. Scozzafava, arguing that conservatives had to win seats by electing Republicans to Congress as a first requisite to conservatives winning power and being able to stop the liberal juggernaut led by President Obama and the Democratic Senate and House majorities in Congress.

On Saturday, Mr. Gingrich released a statement throwing his support to Mr. Hoffman.

“The age of party leaders picking people is over,” Mr. Gingrich said.

Later Saturday, Mr. Gingrich, in response to a question from The Washington Times as to why he endorsed the liberal Republican first and had now switched to the Conservative Party candidate - whether he first put party over principle and now is reverting to his longtime view that principle comes first - said, “I did not put party over principle. There was an issue of two principles.”

“First, always endorse the more conservative, and second, respect local leaders and local decisions,” Mr. Gingrich said. “When the 11 local county chairs unanimously endorsed someone after four public meetings, I did not think it was my place to repudiate the entire local party leadership.”

He said Mr. Hoffman's “rise is a result of Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Fox News, the Club for Growth, Gov. [Sarah] Palin and [Minnesota Gov. Tim] Pawlenty and former House Majority Leader Dick Armey and virtually the entire national conservative movement joining with Mike Long, whose Conservative Party, a very established organization, which won its first big race 39 years ago.”

“This was not an isolated amateur; this is an entire movement.” Mr. Gingrich said.