By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

Sarah Palin's endorsement of a third-party candidate in New York will test whether her staunch brand of conservatism sells outside Alaska.

Palin used her Facebook site recently to endorse Doug Hoffman on the Conservative Party ticket for the 23rd Congressional District of New York, usually a right-wing leaning district.

Palin dissed the Republican candidate, Dede Scozzafava, as being unworthy of her support. (The Democrat is Bill Owens.)

Said Palin: "Unfortunately, the Republican Party today has decided to choose a candidate who more than blurs the lines, and there is no real difference between the Democrat and the Republican in this race."

So why did Palin get involved in the New York race? Not for bad reasoning, actually.

As she noted, "votes of every member of Congress affect every American, so it's important for all of us to pay attention to this important Congressional campaign in upstate New York."

She donated some money from her PAC to help Hoffman, too.

Why?

"Doug Hoffman stands for the principles that all Republicans should share: smaller government, lower taxes, strong national defense, and a commitment to individual liberty."

The latest polls showing Hoffman doing well enough to win, followed by Owens and then the Republican.

Palin doesn't deserve all the credit if Hoffman wins; he was attracting support from ultra-conservatives before the former Alaska governor weighed in.

But this is a high-profile bid by Palin to test her coattails in a U.S. congressional race.