Washington — Doug Hoffman, the soft-spoken conservative who narrowly lost the special election in New York’s 23rd congressional district to Democrat Bill Owens last year, tells National Review Online that he is preparing to run again. Hoffman is currently milling around CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, meeting activists. He says an official announcement should probably come within the next week or two.

“Owens has violated every one of his campaign promises,” Hoffman says. “From health care to spending, he’s vulnerable.” Hoffman points to Scott Brown’s Senate win in Massachusetts as proof that conservatives can win in the northeast this year. “But he wasn’t the first guy to drive a truck on the trail,” Hoffman laughs. “Look for me in my ‘55 Chevy.”

To win, Hoffman says he will need $1.5 million. He already has about $250,000 in his war chest, plus a list of over 25,000 donors from his last run. He also tells us that he will seek out both the GOP and Conservative party nominations — though won’t rule out a run on just the latter if he fails to get the GOP nod.

Hoffman says he supports former GOP representative Rick Lazio for governor in the Empire State and likes Larry Kudlow for U.S. Senate against Sen. Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.).