Dierdre Scozzafava was the Republican Party nominee in the special election for the Congressional seat of the 23rd District in New York. On October 31, 2009, she suspended her campaign and released her supporters to follow either the Democratic Party candidate, Bill Owens, or Doug Hoffman of the Conservative Party of New York.http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20091031/NEWS09/910319997

Dierdre Scozzafava was born in Buffalo, New York on April 28, 1960. She obtained a B.S. degree from the Boston University School of Management and an M.B.A. from Clarkson University.http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=122&sh=bio

Scozzafava was elected to the New York State Assembly, representing the 122nd Assembly District, in 1998. Presently she serves as the Ranking Minority Member of the Codes Committee for the Assembly.http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=122&sh=bio

She is married to Ron McDougall and has two children Matt and Molly.http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=122&sh=bio

On July 22, 2009, Scozzafava was selected to be the Republican Party nominee in the special election for the 23rd Congressional District. The selection process was conducted and affirmed by the Republican County Chairs of the eleven counties within the 23rd District. On October 31, 2009, Scozzafava suspended her campaign.http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20091031/NEWS09/910319997http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2009/07/gop_picks_candidate_for_congre.html

Scozzafava has been the primary sponsor or co-sponsor of 47 pieces of legislation in the New York Assembly. The latest being A03001, which provides for the establishment of "freedom health insurance plans" which would enable the use of health savings accounts in the State of New York.http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=122&sh=spo

During her campaign for the 23rd District Congressional seat, Scozzafava signed a pledge not to raise income taxes if elected to Congress. This pledge had been developed by the organization Americans for Tax Reform. At this time, she also expressed her opposition to repealing the Bush tax cuts, saying, "I don't support it. I think the tax cuts should stay in place."http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20091019/NEWS03/310199955/-1/NEWS