Last night, I received a call on behalf of the Susan B. Anthony List. The group — whose stated goal is getting “pro-life women” elected to Congress — is mobilizing to NY-23 in support of Doug Hoffman.

The caller informed me that the group is sending out volunteers and community organizers to hand out SBA literature and Hoffman signs, and to rally social Conservatives to the Hoffman cause. Hoffman’s campaign, he noted, is primarily concerned with TV ads (given the amount of time and limited finances), while grass-roots activism is being largely left up to individuals and groups like SBA.

Given the budget and time constraints of the Hoffman camp, this secondary support could well prove important to the campaign. In an email to supporters, Hoffman campaign staffer Daniel Odescalchi noted other grass roots groups coming out:

The regional Huck PAC folks have also offered to canvass the district on our behalf.
And a group of Patriots are coming up from Westchester, NY to help too.

GOP candidate Dede Scozzafava, meanwhile, held a meet-and-greet dinner in Lowville, where she was approached by a reporter asking questions about her stated policies, versus her various actions (such as her declining to sign the No-tax pledge until just before receiving Newt Gingrich’s endoresement). After supplying vague answers to the reporter, Scozzafava finally refused to answer any more questions, and staffers blocked the reporter from approaching her. Police were later called in (after the reporter had retired to his vehicle to write his article on the night’s events) to explain things to him and ask him to leave her alone.

Across the proverbial aisle, Bill Owens has also recently run into a spot of trouble — with the California Milk Processor Board. In a new ad, Owens ends up with a variation of the group’s now-infamous “Got Milk?” slogan — which then morphs into “Got Milk Money?” A clever idea, but one which was not, apparently, run by the CMPB first. They’ve issued a cease-and-desist order, which is being largely ignored by the Owens campaign, except to say that their usage consititues “fair use.”

Voters may well wonder if THIS is the fight the Owens camp really needs to be waging right now — and what that might portend as far as which battles Owens would pick as an elected representative.

You can contribute to the Hoffman campaig through his website, http://www.doughoffmanforcongress.com.

UPDATE: According to WaPo, intraparty polls are suggesting Hoffman is now in second place, behind Owens.

(Cross-posted at SLC Republitarian and The Minority Report)