Tea Party Express slams Davis, backs Corwin in NY-26

The Tea Party Express went on the attack Monday against third-party candidate Jack Davis in the special election for ex-Rep. Chris Lee's (R-N.Y.) House seat.

Leaders of the group were in Rochester to endorse Republican Jane Corwin in a tight three-way race against Democrat Kathy Hochul and Davis, who's running under the "Tea Party" banner.

At a morning event in the district, Tea Party Express Chairwoman Amy Kremer labeled Davis "a phony."

"Jack Davis is no more 'Tea Party' than Barack Obama," Kremer said, according to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.

National Republicans and conservative activists have their sights set on Davis in the days before the May 24 election, worried he could siphon off enough votes from Corwin to propel Hochul to victory. 

The Tea Party Express, which played a major role in several GOP Senate primaries last cycle, has not announced any plans for a paid media effort in the district, but the group has another news conference planned for Monday afternoon featuring Carl Paladino, the GOP's controversial 2010 nominee for New York governor.

Meanwhile, both the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and National Republican Congressional Committee are engaged in the race, which has quickly vaulted to national attention. 

The NRCC released a new TV spot Monday hitting Hochul as a puppet of House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). The NRCC ad buy is close to $411,000, airing on broadcast and cable in Rochester and Buffalo's media markets, according to a GOP operative.

The Tea Party group FreedomWorks announced an effort to mobilize its grassroots forces against Davis in the district last week, denouncing Davis as "a fraud."

The group said it was coordinating with local Tea Party activists in the district to organize door-to-door canvassing efforts and ask its members across the country to participate in phone banking efforts targeting Davis.  

Sean J. Miller contributed to this report.