Weprin and Turner race for Weiner’s seat

The race for Anthony Weiner’s seat is heating up as Democratic pick David Werpin struggles to distance himself from the president on foreign policy, while vigorously standing by health care reforms. On July 18, the congressional candidate, who currently sits in the State Assembly, visited the Jewish Center of Kew Gardens Hills to speak with senior citizens, introducing himself to a prime voting group.

“Many of you know my family name, when my father Saul Weprin died, I became the Democratic District Leader,” Weprin said. He has since risen to the City Council, and in 2010, went on to the State Assembly, with his brother Mark securing his former seat in the City Council.

“It becomes a family business when a grandfather, son, and grandson go into politics. Look at what happened to the Hevesis,” said retired bookkeeper Sylvia Nierenberg. Weprin denied the career politician label, arguing that he opposed Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s successful push in 2009 to overturn term limits. He also defended his own and his brother’s recent election wins. “People say you switched seats but that’s too simplistic. We both ran in competitive elections,” Weprin said.

Initially speaking on expanding Medicare and social security payouts, Weprin changed gears, taking aim at former New York City mayor Ed Koch, who urged voters last week to reject the Democratic pick as a “shot across the bow” at President Barack Obama’s policy towards Israel. “It might very well cause President Obama to change his hostile position,” Koch said in his weekly commentary.

While Koch has not openly endorsed Republican candidate Bob Turner, he said that a GOP win in the heavily Democratic district would be akin to Republican Scott Brown’s 2010 special election win for Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat. Weprin brushed off Koch’s criticism, vowing to defy Obama on Israel. “I’ve been strong in opposing President Obama’s stand on the pre-1967 borders because the security of Israel would be in danger,” Weprin said.

Turner, 70, is a semi-retired television executive who first ran for office last year, chalking up an unexpected 41 percent of the vote in his run against the now-disgraced Anthony Weiner. “This is a district that is three to one for the Democrats, but it is also up for grabs,” said Forest Hills resident Rabbi Manny Behar. In recent elections, the Brooklyn-Queens district trended towards Republicans, with only slight majorities given to Democratic presidential candidates John Kerry in 2004 and Barack Obama in 2008. In the southern Queens portion, Republican Eric Ulrich won a 2010 special election for city council. “It’s the most Republican voting district in the city outside of Staten Island,” said Forest Hills Republican District Leader Bart Haggerty.

Longtime political consultant Hank Sheinkopf said that with historically low turnouts, special elections are a test for both parties in mobilizing their core supporters for the Sept. 13 vote. “Within the Jewish community, there are Russians, Bukharians, modern Orthodox, and black hats, but non-Jewish groups also matter and a Republican could do very well. We still do not know who will turn out to vote in this election,” Sheinkopf said.

Turner’s last visit to Israel was in 2000, as a tourist, around the time that the Second Intifada erupted. “You have to be there to understand the misrepresented media terms like settlements, which are really apartments. You get a different sense by being there,” Turner said.

Nierenberg said that while she is concerned for Israel, domestic issues such as healthcare and social security would decide her vote. “I am a Jew, but an American foremost.”

Eager to keep up his momentum, Turner said that most of his volunteers from last year have returned for his second run, with lessons learned from the defeat. “We had a tough time getting the word out, but our people are there and so is their enthusiasm,” Turner said.