Why Hoffman? Consider this from Politico:

to get a sense why conservatives have been so cool to her campaign, Republican Dede Scozzafava’s recent financial support has come primarily from abortion rights groups, labor unions and the National Education Association.
This week, Scozzafava received $1,000 from the Planned Parenthood PAC and $2,500 from the New York Choice PAC. The International Longshoreman’s Association and the United Transportation Union PAC each chipped in $2,500, while the local International Brotherhood of Electric Workers gave her $1,000. The National Education Association’s political action committee spent $5,000 for her campaign, while a renewable energy association donated $2,000.
All told, those donations comprised well over half of the money she’s brought in over the last week, which includes a $5,000 donation from the Republican National Committee.