[[Image:Dede.jpg|right|Dede Scozzafava|thumb]]'''Dierdre "Dede" Scozzafava''' is a [[liberal]] [[Republican]] who is the GOP candidate for [[Congress]] in a special election in the 23rd district in upstate New York. Conservatives oppose her and support a third party candidate. The election will be November 3, 2009, and she has fallen behind in the polls. Support declined further following a "breach of trust" controversy that occurred when Assemblywoman Janet Duprey threw the nomination to her friend, Scozzafava, despite the wishes of the majority of [[Republicans]] in the county where she also serves as party chairman.<ref>Michael Patrick Leahy. [http://tcotreport.com/23ny1.html Nomination of Liberal Republican in New York 23rd Tainted by Breach of Trust], October 19, 2009.</ref>
Scozzafava has been a member of the New York State Assembly since 1999; she served as Mayor of the Village of Gouverneur from 1993 through 1998. She was appointed Minority Whip and serves on the Assembly Banks, Codes, Ethics and Guidance, Rules, and Ways and Means committees.