The local Watertown Daily Times is reporting that Dede Scozzafava, the Republican candidate for the special election to fill the NY-23rd congressional district, has just suspended her campaign. The announcement comes only days before the election. Scozzafava was facing Democratic party candidate Bill Owens and Conservative party candidate Doug Hoffman.

Recently, Hoffman has been gaining in the polls at the expense of Scozzafava. A series of high profile Republicans, like Sarah Palin, have taken the unusual step of endorsing Hoffman over their party’s official candidate. This move should be seen as a huge victory from the conservative grassroots movement.