Conservative GOP activists say they are not defeated by N.Y.

Conservative Republicans bent on moving their party to the right in 2010 showed no signs of backing down Wednesday, as GOP leaders sought to push the movement toward primaries, rather than third-party candidacies.

The aftermath of Tuesday’s special-election loss in New York’s 23rd district proved disappointing for both sides — for conservatives because their candidate lost and for Republicans because they wound up losing a seat.

But any illusions of a peace accord are unrealistic at this point.

Unapologetic, conservatives pushed forward and insisted they were emboldened by Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman’s near-miss loss to Rep.-elect Bill Owens (D-N.Y.).

“I have said all along that the goal of activists must be to defeat [GOP nominee Dede] Scozzafava. Doug Hoffman winning would just be gravy,”  Erickson said. “A Hoffman win is not in the cards, but we did exactly what we set out to do — crush the establishment-backed GOP candidate.”

Erickson and other Hoffman backers have now turned their attention to Florida, where former state House Speaker Marco Rubio is battling establishment-backed Gov. Charlie Crist in the state’s Senate primary. Rubio is gaining some momentum.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, the president of the Hoffman-backing Susan B. Anthony List, said the result was a split decision for Hoffman’s supporters. But she said the movement succeeded by keeping Scozzafava out of the seat and laying the groundwork for future conservative candidates.

“Given what we’ve seen in this election, the momentum is building for a Rubio victory whether we support it or not,” Dannenfelser said.

With that and other intra-party battles looming, the message was clear from GOP leaders: Constructive primaries are healthy, while contentious primaries and third-party candidacies are destructive.

Former Rep. Amo Houghton (R-N.Y.), who serves on the board at the centrist Republican Main Street Partnership PAC, said Hoffman cost the GOP a seat.

“If we are to be successful in rebuilding our congressional majorities in 2010, then we must come together as a party,” Houghton said. “To win, we need the support of conservatives and centrists.

Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele echoed other GOP leaders Wednesday in lamenting the lack of a primary process in New York.

“Republicans, I believe, believe more importantly in an open, vital primary process,” Steele said Wednesday morning. “We’re seeing it play out in races that are developing around the country. It is a healthy part of the process for us.”

In that effort, actually, Steele appears to have a partner in Erickson. Erickson said in his blog post early Wednesday morning that conservatives should shy away from third-party candidacies because they have little chance of succeeding.

Another GOP leader who has decried the selection process in New York is National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chairman John Cornyn (Texas).

Cornyn has distributed several endorsements in key races around the country, and some of them have drawn the ire of conservatives.

But Cornyn made a point Wednesday to say that the NRSC would not spend any money in these primaries, and will instead save the money for the general election. That could help mitigate some tension between the conservative grass roots and the committee, but it could also create problems for candidates like Crist if tight primaries ensue.

NRSC spokesman Brian Walsh said the primary process is open to all groups.

“Party leaders and committees and outside organizations can express their preferences, as the NRSC has done,” Walsh said. “We believe Charlie Crist, who is pro-life, pro-Second Amendment and pro-family, represents Republicans’ best opportunity to keep this seat.”

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) is backing Rubio over Crist, but he abstained from the New York race. He said the primary process can be healthy, if handled the right way, but third parties are not the way to go.

“If it was a straight-up race, it probably would have gone to Hoffman,” Huckabee said. “But the contentiousness of the process is what led” to the result.

Huckabee headlined a dinner for the New York Conservative Party toward the end of the special election, but made it clear he was neutral in the race.

Potential 2012 foes Sarah Palin and Tim Pawlenty both backed Hoffman, while Newt Gingrich supported Dede Scozzafava. Gingrich supported Hoffman after Scozzafava withdrew from the race.

Huckabee cautioned conservatives launching third-party candidacies in several key races that it would only hurt the GOP.

“There is a potential danger,” Huckabee said. “If people believe the way to get the attention of Washington is through third-party candidacies, I hope they will rethink that.”

Steele called the portrayal of the conservative resistance a “phony fight” and said he takes no pleasure in seeing the Conservative Party nominee lose after ousting a Republican nominee.

“I don’t see a victory in losing seats,” he said. “I’m not in the business of division and subtraction. I’m in the business of multiplication and addition. I want more Republicans going to Congress.”

Reid Wilson contributed to this article.