HOWARD BEACH, N.Y. -- Republican Bob Turner won a special election Tuesday in a New York City congressional district that has been held by Democrats for nearly a century - an upset that delivers a stinging rebuke to President Obama and his party.
Just before midnight, the Associated Press called the race for Turner, a cable television executive with no prior political experience. He and his supporters had billed the contest against Democrat David Weprin as a referendum on Obama.
Just before midnight, the Associated Press called the race for Turner, a cable television executive with no prior political experience. He and his supporters had billed the contest against Democrat David Weprin as a referendum on Obama.
Turner's stunning win in a district where Democrats hold a 3-1 registration edge is an ominous sign for the president. He won the district by an 11-point margin in 2008 but his weak poll numbers there now appear to have dragged down his party's nominee. Turner becomes the first Republican to hold the Queens and Brooklyn-area seat since 1923.
"We didn't have union organizers, financial resources or many other things our opponent was able to put into the field, but we couldn't beat the enthusiasm and spirit from our volunteers, who had never been involved in the political process before," Turner said to more than 300 supporters packed into the ballroom of an Italian restaurant here as favorable results poured in. "I'm more than thrilled to help lead the charge."
After scoring a string of special congressional election victories, Democrats lost two in one day. In Nevada, Republican Mark Amodei scored a convincing victory Tuesday over DemocratKate Marshall to win the seat that former Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., vacated to accept an appointment to the Senate. Amodei's win also served as a barometer of how far the president has fallen politically, as it came in a district where Obama fought his Republican rival, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to a 49-49 percent tie in the 2008 presidential race.
For Democrats, however, it's the loss in New York City, a traditional party stronghold, that is the most ignominious defeat. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee rushed in reinforcements in the final week, spending over a half-million dollars on a television ad against Turner and sending in volunteers who reached out to over 450,000 Democratic voters in the district.
One of them, David "Bowzer" Bauman of the 1960's rock group Sha Na Na, spent the last hour before the polls closed cruising down Queens Boulevard with a loudspeaker, urging residents to get out and vote for Weprin.
It wasn't enough.
Rep. Peter King, a Republican from a neighboring district, called the outcome "a terrible defeat" for the Obama administration and a discouraging harbinger for the president's party. Other Democrats up for reelection next year "have to be scared stiff," he said.
The Obama administration's call for Israel to return to pre-1967 borders as part of a peace deal with the Palestinians became a major factor in a district that includes one of the heaviest concentrations of Jewish voters in the country. Weprin openly distanced himself from the president's Middle East policies.
Turner won support two former New York City mayors, Democrat Ed Koch, and RepublicanRudy Giuliani, both of whom urged district residents to send a message to Obama about Israel by voting for the Republican. Koch's backing has been a major factor among the district's significant Jewish population, nearly half of whom said in a recently released Siena poll that they were voting for Turner. This support comes despite the fact that Weprin is an Orthodox Jew who has touted his pro-Israel bona fides on the trail.
"This is going to be a remarkable victory with the help of God. Mr. President, listen to us," Koch said at Turner's election rally. "We can send a message on the issues we hold dear."
Even Weprin sought to distance himself from Obama, telling the Jewish Weekly that he would "probably" back him for reelection.
But Dov Hikind, a Democratic colleague of Weprin's in the New York assembly who nonetheless endorsed Turner, suggested that the deciding factor in the race was the economy.
"People want to go back to work," Hikind said. "They're sick and tired of speeches."
In Nevada, Republican Mark Amodei scored a convincing victory Tuesday over DemocratKate Marshall to win the seat that former Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., vacated to accept an appointment to the Senate. Amodei's win also served as a barometer of how far the president has fallen politically, as it came in a district where Obama fought his Republican rival, Sen.John McCain, R-Ariz., to a 49-49 percent tie in the 2008 presidential race. For Democrats, however, it's the loss in New York City, a traditional party stronghold, that is the most ignominious defeat. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee rushed in reinforcements in the final week, spending over a half-million dollars on a television ad against Turner and sending in volunteers who reached out to over 450,000 Democratic voters in the district. One of them, David "Bowzer" Bauman of the 1960's rock group Sha Na Na, spent the last hour before the polls closed cruising down Queens Boulevard with a loudspeaker, urging residents to get out and vote for Weprin. It wasn't enough. Rep. Peter King, a Republican from a neighboring district, called the outcome "a terrible defeat" for the Obama administration and a dismaying harbinger for the president's party. Other Democrats up for reelection next year "have to be scared stiff," he said. Even before polls closed, Democrats were offering various alibis for the embarrassing setback. Some privately blamed the loss on what they said was an inept Weprin campaign. The National Jewish Democratic Council blamed former Rep. Anthony Weiner, whose resignation after he admitted to sending lewd photos on his Twitter account prompted the special election. Voters' "overwhelmingly unfavorable view" of the former congressman sabotaged Democrats' chances, the council's leader, David Harris, said in a statement. Democrats also focused on a potential consolation prize: The seat Turner won is likely to be eliminated in redistricting. The DCCC, which just a few months ago hailed a victory in another New York special House election as an endorsement of the party's national policies, wrote off Tuesday's results as a fluke. "Special elections are always difficult - they are low turnout, high intensity races," Rep. Steve Israel, a New York Democrat who chairs his party's congressional campaign, said in a statement. "The results in NY-09 are not reflective of what will happen in November 2012." The Obama administration's call for Israel to return to pre-1967 borders as part of a peace deal with the Palestinians became a major factor in a district that includes one of the heaviest concentrations of Jewish voters in the country. Weprin openly distanced himself from the president's Middle East policies. Turner won support two former New York City mayors, Democrat Ed Koch, and Republican Rudy Giuliani, both of whom urged district residents to send a message to Obama about Israel by voting for the Republican. Koch's backing has been a major factor among the district's significant Jewish population, nearly half of whom said in a recently released Siena poll that they were voting for Turner. This support comes despite the fact that Weprin is an Orthodox Jew who has touted his pro-Israel bona fides on the trail. "This is going to be a remarkable victory with the help of God. Mr. President, listen to us," Koch said at Turner's election rally. "We can send a message on the issues we hold dear." Even Weprin sought to distance himself from Obama, telling the Jewish Weekly that he would "probably" back him for reelection. But Dov Hikind, a Democratic colleague of Weprin's in the New York assembly who nonetheless endorsed Turner, suggested that the deciding factor in the race was the economy. "People want to go back to work," Hikind said. "They're sick and tired of speeches."
http://www.nationaljournal.com/blogs/hotlineoncall/2011/09/nyc-stunner-republican-turner-wins-house-special-13
"We didn't have union organizers, financial resources or many other things our opponent was able to put into the field, but we couldn't beat the enthusiasm and spirit from our volunteers, who had never been involved in the political process before," Turner said to more than 300 supporters packed into the ballroom of an Italian restaurant here as favorable results poured in. "I'm more than thrilled to help lead the charge."
After scoring a string of special congressional election victories, Democrats lost two in one day. In Nevada, Republican Mark Amodei scored a convincing victory Tuesday over DemocratKate Marshall to win the seat that former Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., vacated to accept an appointment to the Senate. Amodei's win also served as a barometer of how far the president has fallen politically, as it came in a district where Obama fought his Republican rival, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to a 49-49 percent tie in the 2008 presidential race.
For Democrats, however, it's the loss in New York City, a traditional party stronghold, that is the most ignominious defeat. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee rushed in reinforcements in the final week, spending over a half-million dollars on a television ad against Turner and sending in volunteers who reached out to over 450,000 Democratic voters in the district.
One of them, David "Bowzer" Bauman of the 1960's rock group Sha Na Na, spent the last hour before the polls closed cruising down Queens Boulevard with a loudspeaker, urging residents to get out and vote for Weprin.
It wasn't enough.
Rep. Peter King, a Republican from a neighboring district, called the outcome "a terrible defeat" for the Obama administration and a discouraging harbinger for the president's party. Other Democrats up for reelection next year "have to be scared stiff," he said.
The Obama administration's call for Israel to return to pre-1967 borders as part of a peace deal with the Palestinians became a major factor in a district that includes one of the heaviest concentrations of Jewish voters in the country. Weprin openly distanced himself from the president's Middle East policies.
Turner won support two former New York City mayors, Democrat Ed Koch, and RepublicanRudy Giuliani, both of whom urged district residents to send a message to Obama about Israel by voting for the Republican. Koch's backing has been a major factor among the district's significant Jewish population, nearly half of whom said in a recently released Siena poll that they were voting for Turner. This support comes despite the fact that Weprin is an Orthodox Jew who has touted his pro-Israel bona fides on the trail.
"This is going to be a remarkable victory with the help of God. Mr. President, listen to us," Koch said at Turner's election rally. "We can send a message on the issues we hold dear."
Even Weprin sought to distance himself from Obama, telling the Jewish Weekly that he would "probably" back him for reelection.
But Dov Hikind, a Democratic colleague of Weprin's in the New York assembly who nonetheless endorsed Turner, suggested that the deciding factor in the race was the economy.
"People want to go back to work," Hikind said. "They're sick and tired of speeches."
In Nevada, Republican Mark Amodei scored a convincing victory Tuesday over DemocratKate Marshall to win the seat that former Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., vacated to accept an appointment to the Senate. Amodei's win also served as a barometer of how far the president has fallen politically, as it came in a district where Obama fought his Republican rival, Sen.John McCain, R-Ariz., to a 49-49 percent tie in the 2008 presidential race. For Democrats, however, it's the loss in New York City, a traditional party stronghold, that is the most ignominious defeat. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee rushed in reinforcements in the final week, spending over a half-million dollars on a television ad against Turner and sending in volunteers who reached out to over 450,000 Democratic voters in the district. One of them, David "Bowzer" Bauman of the 1960's rock group Sha Na Na, spent the last hour before the polls closed cruising down Queens Boulevard with a loudspeaker, urging residents to get out and vote for Weprin. It wasn't enough. Rep. Peter King, a Republican from a neighboring district, called the outcome "a terrible defeat" for the Obama administration and a dismaying harbinger for the president's party. Other Democrats up for reelection next year "have to be scared stiff," he said. Even before polls closed, Democrats were offering various alibis for the embarrassing setback. Some privately blamed the loss on what they said was an inept Weprin campaign. The National Jewish Democratic Council blamed former Rep. Anthony Weiner, whose resignation after he admitted to sending lewd photos on his Twitter account prompted the special election. Voters' "overwhelmingly unfavorable view" of the former congressman sabotaged Democrats' chances, the council's leader, David Harris, said in a statement. Democrats also focused on a potential consolation prize: The seat Turner won is likely to be eliminated in redistricting. The DCCC, which just a few months ago hailed a victory in another New York special House election as an endorsement of the party's national policies, wrote off Tuesday's results as a fluke. "Special elections are always difficult - they are low turnout, high intensity races," Rep. Steve Israel, a New York Democrat who chairs his party's congressional campaign, said in a statement. "The results in NY-09 are not reflective of what will happen in November 2012." The Obama administration's call for Israel to return to pre-1967 borders as part of a peace deal with the Palestinians became a major factor in a district that includes one of the heaviest concentrations of Jewish voters in the country. Weprin openly distanced himself from the president's Middle East policies. Turner won support two former New York City mayors, Democrat Ed Koch, and Republican Rudy Giuliani, both of whom urged district residents to send a message to Obama about Israel by voting for the Republican. Koch's backing has been a major factor among the district's significant Jewish population, nearly half of whom said in a recently released Siena poll that they were voting for Turner. This support comes despite the fact that Weprin is an Orthodox Jew who has touted his pro-Israel bona fides on the trail. "This is going to be a remarkable victory with the help of God. Mr. President, listen to us," Koch said at Turner's election rally. "We can send a message on the issues we hold dear." Even Weprin sought to distance himself from Obama, telling the Jewish Weekly that he would "probably" back him for reelection. But Dov Hikind, a Democratic colleague of Weprin's in the New York assembly who nonetheless endorsed Turner, suggested that the deciding factor in the race was the economy. "People want to go back to work," Hikind said. "They're sick and tired of speeches."
http://www.nationaljournal.com/blogs/hotlineoncall/2011/09/nyc-stunner-republican-turner-wins-house-special-13