SARANAC LAKE -- The race for Congress in the 23rd District is shaping up to be a crowded one.  Democrat incumbent Bill Owens will face off against two opponents.   Matt Doheny who won the Republican primary, and Doug Hoffman who lost the primary but says he'll still run on the conservative party line.

Hoffman's refusal to get out of the race presents a big issue for upstate Tea Party supporters.  Upstate New York Tea Party Chairman Mark Barie told the Adirondack Daily Enterprise  newspaper that Hoffman doesn't have the money or support for his campaign to be viable.   He has no money, he has no campaign staff, and his campaign simply is not viable," Barie said. "But to the extent that he garners even one vote, it is a vote in favor of Bill Owens."

The upstate branch of the Tea Party backed and worked to get Hoffman votes during the primary, but after the race was over said Hoffman's campaign was poorly run and out of touch.   The Tea Party is now polling its membership and Barie says, "The rank-and-file tea party members are confused right now."   "We went full-board for Hoffman, and he didn't win for no one's fault except his campaign's." Barie said.

The tea party's steering committee would likely meet next week, and decide what to do. He mentioned backing Doheny as a possibility; another possibility would be to campaign against Owens, focusing on fiscal issues, rather than for either Doheny or Hoffman.