GOP Hails Win in NYC Congressional District

By Jon E. Dougherty at 14 Sep 2011

(Newsroom America) -- Republicans on Wednesday said a win by a GOP newcomer in a heavily Democratic district of New York City was a "stunning rebuke" of President Obama's policies.

Businessman Bob Turner stunned the Democratic political establishment when he defeated New York State Assemblyman David Weprin in a special election. Weprin had been handpicked to succeed disgraced former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner, but instead lost to Turner in a section of the city - New York's 9th Congressional District - where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 3 to 1.

In 2008, Obama won the district handily, defeating Sen. John McCain, the GOP nominee, 55-44 percent.

Early on, former NYC Mayor Ed Koch, a Democratic stalwart in the city, urged voters to back Turner, as a way to send a message to Obama.

National Democratic congressional organizations poured $600,000 into advertising in the final days of the campaign, in a bid to boost Weprin's chances, reports said.

Some analysts said Obama's policies towards Israel were a major factor in Weprin's loss in a heavily Jewish district.

With 84 percent of districts reporting, Turner was leading Weprin 54-46 percent, The Associated Press reported.

Republicans hailed the victory as a sign of things to come for the White House.

"An unpopular President Obama is now a liability for Democrats nationwide," said Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a statement.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, the Democratic National Committee chairwoman, downplayed the race, saying the district's heavy concentration of Orthodox Jews meant its outcome had little national impact, the New York Times said.

"In this district, there is a large number of people who went to the polls tonight who didn’t support the president to begin with and don’t support Democrats — and it’s nothing more than that," she said, according to the paper.

Turner disagreed, saying he believed the election's results means Obama and Democrats will fare badly come next year.

"We have lit one candle today. It’s going to be a bonfire pretty soon," he said in comments to supporters Tuesday night.

Weprin did not concede defeat, saying he still believed his campaign could prevail, the Times said.

Contact Jon E. Dougherty

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