Why Doug Hoffman is Running for Office

This is a rush transcript from "Glenn Beck," October 26, 2009. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

GLENN BECK, HOST: And eight days from now, voters in the 23rd Congressional District in New York have a choice, they can vote for principles or they can vote for party. I wonder which one they will choose. Joining me now is the independent candidate in that race, Doug Hoffman. Hello, Doug, how are you?

CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE DOUG HOFFMAN, I-N.Y.: Great, Glenn. How are you doing?

BECK: Very good. Have you ever run for party before — for office before?

HOFFMAN: No, I haven't.

BECK: OK, why are you running now?

HOFFMAN: Well, I never thought I would be in politics, but Glenn, quite frankly, I was fed up. I was fed up with what's happening to our country. I was fed up with the out-of-control spending, taxes, government regulations on us and businesses, and I thought somebody had to step up and do something about it.

BECK: OK. What is it you are going to step up and do?

HOFFMAN: Well, I decided to run for congress, because I didn't like the candidates that were chosen, and I thought that I should step up and say something about it.

BECK: OK. The Republican was endorsed by the DailyKos founder and accepted the Working Family Party endorsement, in assembly campaigns, endorsements from ACORN. You're not cool with ACORN?

HOFFMAN: Absolutely not.

BECK: OK.

HOFFMAN: I'm not cool with ACORN or the working families' party, or people that vote like democrats and run on Republican lines.

BECK: How do you — I mean you have Sarah Palin that endorsed you. Was that a surprise to you?

HOFFMAN: Yes, it was. It was also a big honor.

BECK: Yes, Sarah Palin, Steve Forbes, Fred Thompson, Dick Armey, Rick Santorum, who I think is an unbelievably honest man. How do you expect to get to Washington when the party is going to be against you if you get there, how do you expect to get there and get anything done?

HOFFMAN: Well, I believe that when I win this election and go to Congress, that there will be many Republicans there that will welcome me with open arms.

BECK: Do you think that you are the beginning of something where the average guy can — Mr. Smith goes to Washington and it will send a message to the parties? Do you think if you win, the parties we'll begin to see that this movement is real?

HOFFMAN: Yes, I do. I'm fighting for the heart and soul of the Republican Party and I think if I win this campaign that people will take notice and the next time they select a candidate, they will look at the principles.

BECK: You have gigantic machines coming against you. I mean — if I'm not mistaken, President Obama did in New York city, a fund-raiser specifically to raise funds for your race to, you know, knock you out, and I think they're doing it, so they can say that the tea party movement and 9/12 movement and everything else is just, you know, a fad, they're already saying it. You have the republicans coming after you with a lot of money. How are you doing on funds?

HOFFMAN: Well, we're doing the best we can. We certainly don't have the big guns that they have, but we have — I'm overwhelmed with the people around the country, and within the district that have been giving me money. They have volunteered their services, both within the district and around the country, and people like you mentioned, stepping up to the plate and endorsing me, and believing in the values and ideals that I'm trying to get through on this candidacy, which is basically conservative values.

BECK: Do you have children?

HOFFMAN: Yes, I do, Glenn. I have three adult children, and I have four grandchildren.

BECK: What is the biggest problem that is facing our country that you want to — if you could just do one thing, what would it be?

HOFFMAN: I wanted to stop the spending. I want to stop the deficits. I want to make sure that we're not passing on to my children and my grandchildren deficits and that we cannot repay and that they will have to repay and maybe they won't be able to repay them.

BECK: Do you like Karl Marx?

HOFFMAN: No.

BECK: All right, good. I don't know anymore. I don't even know anymore.

HOFFMAN: Tough question.

(LAUGHTER)

BECK: Thank you very much. We'll talk again. Good luck.

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