With Turner Ahead, Dems Still Optimistic In Messy 9th District Campaign

An excellent representation of David Weprin's campaign for Anthony Weiner's seat, as Weprin (center) waits to be introduced at the Rockaway Park Senior Center (AP)

The race for Anthony's Weiner's old seat in Queens' solidly Democratic Ninth District has given voters a somewhat crappy choice in Tuesday's special election. Neither candidate knows much about their district, and while Republican candidate Bob Turner has indiscriminately picked up endorsements from Donald Trump, Ed Koch, and Rudy Giuliani, while mostly keeping his mouth shut, Democrat David Weprin has released an idiotic 9/11-invoking ad, stupidly cancelled a debate, and is hoping a video of him dancing in 2009 will make him seem less like a wet Saltine to voters. As of yesterday, Turner is up by six percentage points.

Turner's camp is so confident, they sent an email blast today comparing President Obama's rumored stumping for Weprin to his last-ditch campaigning for failed Massachusetts senatorial candidate Martha Coakley. But David Weprin's brother, City Councilman Mark Weprin, is somewhat more optimistic, telling the Times that his brother has "a much more motivated volunteer base…who votes is going to decide this race." Weprin adds, "Look, you always like to be ahead in the polls. But this is not a typical race."

Though some have viewed the race as a referendum on Obama, equally to blame for Weprin's failure to hold onto a solidly Democratic base has been a lackluster campaign. "Weprin has lost the campaign," a Democratic strategist says, "Now it's about who wins the turnout." And with a $1 million barrage of ads and a "formidable get-out-the-vote operation," Weprin certainly still has a chance. Look for him to leak his appearance on MTV Grind tomorrow.

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By Christopher Robbins in News on September 10, 2011 6:00 PM

Comments [rss]

LazyNanny

A pox on the Democrats Gal. They have been running one machine hack after another and we the sheeple have been voting them in. They have mistakenly seen this race as business as usual.

And the "Tea Party" label is entirely a construct of the Dem controlled NYC media. I know Bob and his family and he is hardly a ding dong like Michelle or Sarah. For the Republican party in NYC in 2011, he is actually an outstanding candidate.

For ONCE, let's open our eyes and send a message.

GalBklyn

Time for both political machines to allow for some fresh air. With all the good people in this town --- this is the best we can do?

Argh. Pox on both houses...

felixthecat

Sorry Weprin, would have helped you out except you took a carriage ride to support the cruelty of NYC horse drawn carriages. You did wrong

Inspector Spacetime

*snicker*. Because it was your lack of support what brought him down.

LazyNanny

Why do you call it a "messy" campaign? Because it is a competitive race? Because the candidate ordained by the Democrat machine is losing?
Knock Turner all you want, but at least he LIVES in the district, unlike his opponent.

Emmily_Litella

Nobody is pleased about the choices in this and most other political races, but do you really take anyone claiming affiliation with the Tea Party seriously? If so, why?

LazyNanny

Um well cuz maybe every level of government in this country is INSOLVENT. That a good enough answer for you Emily?

And I'm just glad that for once in NYC, there is a competitive race. Sometimes this place feels like Soviet Russia.

Fern Cohen

Interesting comparison, since it's the Russian/Uzbeki/Georgian/Boukharian immigrants who seem to e tipping the scales. Personally, I don't know how anyone can vote for a Tea Party candidate, much less a Jewish immigrant. Rego Park is one of the largest Medicaid-recipient districts in the US, and the Tea Party wants to cut their benefits. Yet they are falling prey to pro-Israel rhetoric by the Republicans. They live here and not Israel. Let's see how they feel when their Medicaid enefits are scrutinized and their neighborhood docs are hauled away to prison for Medicaid/Medicare fraud, and their food stamps are cut.

Emmily_Litella

I understand your frustration and anger and agree that we have deep financial troubles, but what evidence is there that Bob Turner or any Tea Partier has what it takes to fairly address such issues. If I saw it, I could consider supporting them. If you would like to learn more about how the Soviet Union and Russia dealt with collapse, I suggest you google Dimitry Orlov or read his book Reinventing Collapse.

LazyNanny

Maybe it's nothing more than a protest vote against a system that doesn't listen to the people. SOMEONE has to send a message to both parties and this election is all we have this year.