As first noted by Capital Tonight, Doug Hoffman has been selected as a delegate for Rick Santorum, the former senator from Pennsylvania.

Mr. Hoffman, a Republican, was the Conservative Party candidate for Congress in the 23rd Congressional District in 2009 and 2010. He lost the 2009 general election line to now-Rep. Bill Owens, D-Plattsburgh. In 2010, Mr. Hoffman secured the Conservative Party line again, but lost the Republican nomination by 651 votes to Matt Doheny.

Mr. Doheny narrowly lost to Mr. Owens, with Mr. Hoffman's defunct candidacy attracting more votes (around 10,000) than Mr. Doheny lost by (around 2,000).

The big question that remains for north country political watchers is whether Mr. Hoffman will jump into the race again. He's been giving flirtatious answers for months now, but without an active campaign, he'd have a tough time running in an abbreviated campaign season. He says he has the name recognition and impassioned followers to pull it off.

But what we do know is that he's supporting Mr. Santorum.

Not terribly surprising, considering that Mr. Santorum endorsed Mr. Hoffman in his 2009 bid, even when Republican Dede Scozzafava was still actively campaigning.

The GOP convention — which is looking every day like it could be a drawn out delegate battle that stretches past the April 24 New York presidential primary — will take place in late August in Florida.

In the 23rd Congressional District, Jan Plumadore, a former state Supreme Court judge, and Derinda M. Sherman are delegates for Mr. Santorum. (Mr. Hoffman lives outside the district.) Alternatives are John C. Dewitt and Mark F. Wells.

State Sen. Joe Griffo, a Republican who represents Lewis County and part of St. Lawrence County, has been tapped as a delegate for Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, in CD-24.

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