Yesterday, there was a special election for the State Senate seat in Brooklyn vacated by corrupt State Senator Carl Kruger. And after an election that included ads accusing the Democratic candidate of being a "bacon and eggs kind of Jew" (there are a lot of Orthodox Jews in the district) and accusations that the Republican candidate has ties to neo-Nazi groups, it's no surprise that both sides are claiming victory. Capitol New York reports, "As Republican State Senate candidate David Storobin told a cheering crowd last night that he had won the special election for Carl Kruger's Senates by 120 votes, his Democratic opponent, Lew Fidler, stood on a stage at his own victory party, claiming he was winning the race by 207 votes." more ›

Bob Turner, a Queens businessman, crushed the presumptive heir to Anthony Weiner's vacated House seat yesterday, winning the 9th Congressional District by a margin of more than eight percent (with 84 percent of districts counted just after midnight). Republicans are characterizing the special election victory as a stern rebuke of President Obama, and a sign that White House is theirs for the taking. Turner's opponent, David Weprin, has not yet formally conceded, but last night Turner told his exultant supporters: more ›

The special election to replace Anthony Weiner in Congress (for a year at least) is going on right now, which means the onslaught of robo-calls directed at potential Brooklyn and Queens voters in the ninth district is finally almost over. Soon enough we will find out if last minute automated messages from the likes of Andrew Cuomo and Bill Clinton will be enough to push Democratic Assemblyman David Weprin down to DC. In the last two polls Weprin was trailing Bob Turner, his nemesis in the GOP. Meanwhile, just in case you forgot about him, everybody's favorite bulging former representative with a Twitter habit, without whom none of this would be possible, is back in the news today! more ›

The special election for New York's ninth congressional district (a.k.a. Anthony Weiner's old seat) is tomorrow and children? It is shaping up to be a doozy. Because of the district's demographics—no Republican has ever been elected to the House in the largely Democratic stronghold that covers parts of Brooklyn and Queens—many thought this would be an easy victory for Democratic Assemblyman David Weprin. But with less than 24 hours till the polls open, Weprin is trailing Republican Bob Turner by six points in yet another poll. Luckily for Weprin, robo-Andrew Cuomo is ready to make some phone calls today! more ›

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. more ›

The race to replace Anthony Weiner in Congress is getting busy as a bee as it heads into the final stretch before Tuesday's special election. Just as polls show Republican Bob Turner taking the lead in the race [PDF], we've got The Donald stepping in to support him, an attack ad from Democrat David Weprin being pulled almost immediately because it used imagery of a plane flying over lower Manhattan (which was "as dumb as President Obama sending Air Force One over the Statue of Liberty for publicity shots," according to a Turner spokesman), yet more anti-Turner ads and one last, relatively unexciting, debate for good measure. In the end, David Weprin's only hope may very well be his wicked dance moves: more ›

The race to replace Anthony Weiner in New York's ninth congressional district has now moved into the "wait, really?" phase. While Republican candidate Bob Turner is really trying to make it all about Obama and the Democratic candidate David Weprin is working on getting some cross-party support (Republican Queens councilman Peter Koo just endorsed him) it appears that maybe both candidates probably ought to brush up on the district they are looking to represent before anything else? more ›

Bob Turner, the Republican candidate to fill Anthony Weiner's seat in Congress, continues to use 9/11 as a campaign tactic as if he were Rudy Giuliani (who, incidently, endorsed him). Turner's newest tactic? Complain about how the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act went too far. And he's still against the "Ground Zero Mosque." more ›

So, the Ninth District election in September could come down to gay marriage? The candidates in the increasingly tight special election for Anthony Weiner's likely-lame duck seat have been racking up unsurprising endorsements (Giuliani for Bob Turner! Schumer for David Weprin!), and that is all well and good. However it seems that the Orthodox Jews in the area are grinding their teeth over the logic Weprin used when he voted to support marriage equality in the state Assembly earlier this year. more ›

Bob Turner, the Republican running against Assemblyman David Weprin for Anthony Weiner's old seat in 9th Congressional District seat, can now boast the endorsements of two former mayors of the greatest city in the world. Along with his earlier endorsement from Ed Koch, Turner now has the backing of "America's Mayor" (and still maybe 2012 hopeful) Rudy Giuliani. But will this give Turner the bump he needs to beat Weprin come September 13th's special election? more ›

Republican Bob Turner is running for Anthony Weiner's Congressional seat in a special election against Democrat David Weprin this September 13. He has former mayor Ed Koch's endorsement (Koch is trying to get back at President Obama over Obama's stance on Israel) but now he's venturing into Rudy Giuliani territory—by opposing the so-called "Ground Zero" mosque. Check out this Turner ad attacking Weprin for supporting the Park 51 community center (which would include a mosque) proposed for blocks from Ground Zero, calling the mosque "a purposeful and confrontational act of provocation": more ›

As promised, former NYC mayor Ed Koch endorsed Republican Bob Turner yesterday for Anthony Weiner's seat in the 9th District special election on September 13, but it probably didn't go down as Turner wanted it to. According to the Daily News, Koch blasted the GOP for their handling of the debt ceiling crisis: "I think the Republicans are scoundrels in the way they're handling the matter." Turner tried to put on a happy face: "That's vintage Ed." He's a great man. I'm not going to take issue with a couple of political shots in the grand scheme of things." Presumably Turner then said, "Haha! 'Scoundrels!' Ed can I talk to you in private for a second?" more ›

Republican Bob Turner, who got 40 percent of the vote in the last election, is making a second stab at Anthony Weiner's old seat. He will be representing the Republican party against democratic rival, Assemblyman David Weprin, in a special election on September 13. more ›

Since Anthony Weiner resigned there has been much murmuring about who would take his probably lame-duck Ninth District seat come the special election on September 13. And today we are a little closer to the answer. The Democratic nominee for the seat will be...Assemblyman David Weprin, brother of City Council Member Mark Weprin and son of the late former State Assembly Speaker Saul Weprin. more ›

If only former Representative Chris Lee had kept his shirt on the Republican party wouldn't be scrambling to save his upstate seat. But Lee took his shirt off and put the photos online, and now the special election tomorrow for the 26th Congressional District seat is being looked at as an important bellwether on Medicare reform. In a historically Republican district (see: Jack Kemp) democrat Kathy Hochul is currently neck and neck with her GOP opponent Jane Corwin in the polls. Which helps explain why nearly $4.6 million has been spent on the campaign between the Democrats, Republicans and the Tea Party. more ›

Nicole Paultre Bell will be outside the Municipal Building this morning, picking up endorsements from a number of unions and elected officials. The 26-year-old, whose fiance Sean Bell was killed in a fusillade of police gunfire hours before their wedding in 2006, is running for a City Council seat in Queens that was left vacant when Councilman Thomas White died in August. She told the NY Times last week, “In a million years, I never would have imagined this would have happened to my family. But I’m a strong woman trying to persevere — this was my calling." more ›

Yesterday brought speculation that the fiancee of the Queens man shot and killed by police before his wedding might run for the City Council seat left vacant with Councilman Thomas White's death. At White's funeral, Nicole Paultre Bell told the Daily News, "One thing that Tom White did tell me sitting in his office is the only way you can make change is getting involved, so I'll keep that in mind." more ›

As a funeral will be held for Queens City Councilman Thomas White today, there are rumors about someone who may run for his seat: Nicole Paultre Bell, fiancee of Sean Bell, the man who was killed when police opened fire on him and his friends hours before his wedding. Politico's Maggie Haberman reported yesterday that she was being asked by community members to run. According to the Daily News (which also notes that she's become politically active and is often at the Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network meetings), "Her lawyer refused to comment on the report, but coyly mentioned that she would pay her respects to White at his funeral today." more ›

With a special election for his old Queens seat scheduled for tomorrow, expelled former senator Hiram Monserrate is down 42 points in the polls with Democrat Jose Peralta favored to win. Monserrate was convicted of slashing his girlfriend Karla Giraldo in 2008, briefly abandoned the Democratic Party and voted for legislation to ban gay marriage, but some critics say Peralta is hardly an improvement. According to the Daily News, he's accused of directing $500,000 to a long-defunct nonprofit (he claims he realized his mistake and got most of it back), but that's not all. more ›

Not only is former state Sen. Hiram Monserrate running for his seat again after getting expelled for a misdemeanor conviction—this time he's doing it under the name of a made-up political party. Monserrate filed the needed petitions yesterday in order to get his name on the ballot for the March 16 special election, but since he's been disowned by the Democratic Party after being caught on video dragging his girlfriend down a hallway he decided to run on the "Yes We Can" party line. more ›

After getting expelled from the state Senate following his conviction for attempted assault, Hiram Monserrate is preparing to run for his seat again. The former legislator—who was found guilty of dragging his girlfriend down a hallway but acquitted of more serious felony charges—needs to submit a petition with 3,000 signatures by midnight if he wants his name on the ballot in next month's special election. So Monserrate is hitting the seniors centers. more ›

A federal judge rejected former state Sen. Hiram Monserrate's attempt to block his expulsion, clearing the way for a March 16 special election to decide who will hold his now-vacant seat. In a 24-page ruling, Judge William Pauley III wrote: "The question of who should represent the 13th Senatorial District is one for the voters, not this court." more ›

A judge turned down a request by former state Sen. Hiram Monserrate (D-Queens) to halt his expulsion from the legislative body, but the disgraced politician isn't giving up his fight. Though the federal judge declined Monserrate's bid for an immediate stay on his senate expulsion and on Gov. David Paterson's call for a special election, Monserrate will continue the legal battle in which he has cast himself as a victim whose civil rights have been trampled. more ›

Of course: The widely-watched special election between Republican Assemblyman Jim Tedisco and Democrat newcomer (and venture capitalist) Scott Murphy for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's old Congressional seat has resulted in a "dead heat." The Times Union reports, "With 100 percent precincts reporting, Murphy leads Tedisco by only 59 votes, 77,344 to 77,285. With nearly 6,000 absentee ballots that will essentially decide the race as of Monday, the election will not be decided at least until April 13." The district has 75,000 more registered Republicans but Gillibrand—more of a blue dog Democrat—won it in 2006 and in 2008. The NY Times looks at how perhaps there was attention paid on the race (reporter Adam Nagourney admits he's guilty of it), but then again, it is the first special election since the presidential election. more ›

In yesterday's three special elections for City Council seats, two victors have been named—and one vote is still be counted. Julissa Ferreras won Hiram Monserrate's old seat (Ferraras was Monserrate's old chief of staff) in the 21st district while Eric Ulrich (who won over the crowd during one meeting) won Joseph Addabbo's old seat in the 32nd. However, over in Staten Island, the race is still between two candidates in the 49th district: The Staten Island Advance says the margin is "just 48 votes in favor" of Ken Mitchell, who declared victory last night, over Debi Rose. The Advance adds, "A standard recanvass of all votes will be held at the Board of Election's Staten Island office next Wednesday at 10 a.m." more ›

If you live in the 21st District (in Queens), 32nd District (also in Queens), or 49th District (in Staten Island), it's time for you to vote for a new City Council member! If your City Council members were once Hiram Monserrate, Joseph Addabbo, or Michael McMahon (all of whom have moved onto higher office), you can vote—or out what City Council district you live in here. Polls are open until 9 p.m. and the NY Times explains why the candidates will appear without party affiliations on the ballots. Oh, and those voting in Staten Island will have to deal with paper ballots, because of the "last minute" reinstatement of a candidate. more ›

Yesterday City Council members Bill de Blasio and Letitia James announced alongside mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner that they plan to introduce counter legislation to the council's bid to extend term limits on their own by sending the issue back to voters to decide in a special election this spring. The mayor's office said that it doesn't support such an election because they worry that it might not hold up legally, that the Department of Justice might not approve (as they must) a change that came from elections that notoriously draw low voter turnout. But an elections lawyer tells the NY Times that shouldn't be the case saying, "There’s no reason to think the Justice Department would be less favorably inclined were term limits changed by several hundred thousand people in a special election than if they were changed by 51 council members." Term limits talk should only heat up this week with both bills expected tomorrow. more ›

Last week's special election to fill the vacated 30th Council District seat was a close one and suggested that Republican Anthony Como won. Como had led Democrat Elizabeth Crowley by 70 votes; an official announcement of the winner will be made this week, after the Board of Elections counts hundreds of absentee ballots and certifies the findings. more ›

Perhaps realizing he's best received as a leader in a time of crisis and disarray--and no stranger to cheating on his wife while in public office--former Mayor Rudy Giuliani may offer himself as a candidate for governor in the case Governor David Paterson has to step down. more ›