NY-9: Turner Time?
UPDATE: ‘I See Dead Voters!’
UPDATE: GOP’S TURNER WINS!
Posted on | September 13, 2011 | 38 Comments
UPDATE 12:08 a.m. ET: ASSOCIATED PRESS DECLARES REPUBLICAN BOB TURNER THE WINNER IN NEW YORK’S 9TH DISTRICT!
UPDATE 12:13 a.m. ET: While AP has called it for Turner, Democrat Dave Weprin has not yet conceded:
Businessman Bob Turner (R) defeated state Assemblyman David Weprin (D) in the special election for the House seat held by former New York Rep. Anthony Weiner (D).
Turner’s victory is regarded as an upset given the Democratic history of the 9th district, which takes in portions of Brooklyn and Queens, as well as the fact that President Obama carried the seat by 11 points in 2008.
Weprin has yet to concede, but the Associated Press has called the race for Turner.
Turner becomes the first Republican elected in this district since 1923.
UPDATE 12:25 a.m. ET: How big is this win?
This is the same congressional seat that was held by pervert Anthony Weiner, before he tweeted his meat. This is also the some congressional seat that was once held by far left Marxist Chuck Schumer, and even 1984 VP nominee Geraldine Ferraro. Now it’s held by Republican Bob Turner, thanks to the epic failure of Obama, and his anti Israel policies!
In other words, SCOAMF.
UPDATE 1 a.m. ET: Matt Drudge’s headline:
From the Associated Press story Drudge linked:
Weprin, a 56-year-old Orthodox Jew and member of a prominent Queens political family, seemed a good fit for the largely white, working-class district, which is nearly 40 percent Jewish.
But voter frustration with Obama put Weprin in the unlikely spot of playing defense. A Siena Poll released Friday found just 43 percent of likely voters approved of the president’s job performance, while 54 percent said they disapproved. Among independents, just 29 percent said they approved of Obama’s job performance.
Turner, a 70-year-old Catholic, vowed to push back on Obama’s policies if elected. . . .
Weprin became embroiled in New York-centric disputes over Israel and gay marriage, which cost him some support among Jewish voters.
Orthodox Jews, who tend to be conservative on social issues, expressed anger over Weprin’s vote in the Assembly to legalize gay marriage. In July, New York became one of six states to recognize same-sex nuptials.
Former Mayor Ed Koch, a Democrat, endorsed Turner in July as a way to “send a message” to Obama on his policies toward Israel. And Weprin was challenged on his support of a proposed Islamic center and mosque near the World Trade Center site, in lower Manhattan.
So: Obama, gay marriage, Israel and the Ground Zero Mosque. I’m sure Charles Johnson will blame this election on Pamela Geller.
UPDATE 11:55 p.m. ET: Republican Bob Turner is still leading — by a margin of about 2,400 votes, 53%-47% — but I just now saw this shocking story at ABC News:
Claiming a handful of deceased voters have been mailed absentee ballots for today’s special election, an attorney for Republican congressional candidate Bob Turner told ABC News that he has obtained a court order to seal all paper ballots in New York’s 9th Congressional District, pending judicial review.
“We found five dead people, confirmed, who were mailed absentee ballots,” said Turner’s attorney, Grant Lally. “Some of these people have been dead for years.”
Now Democrats will accuse Republicans of necrophobia.
PREVIOUSLY: It is very early — polls closed at 9 p.m. ET and we’ve only got 7 of 512 precincts reporting as of 10:15 p.m. — but Republican Bob Turner is leading 55%-44% in the New York district formerly represented by Anthony Weiner.
UPDATE: The White House is already spinning NY-9 as something other than a referendum on Obama, even though the Turner campaign has been nothing but all-Obama-bashing-all-the-time.
UPDATE 10:30 p.m. ET: OK, now a few more precincts reporting — we’re up to 13 of 512 — and it’s Turner 53%, Weprin 47%.
This might be a good time to mention a conversation I had in Tampa with someone who knows New York politics very well. My source mentioned Democrat Dov Hikind’s endorsement of Turner and said: “Dov Hikind doesn’t endorse losers.” FWIW.
UPDATE 10:40 p.m. ET: With 45 of 512 precincts reporting, it’s Turner 52%, Weprin 47%. There’s a good chance the Republican will win, but we certainly shouldn’t expect a GOP landslide in a district that Obama won with 55% three years ago.
UPDATE 10:45 p.m. ET: You’ve got to admire the way they’re holding back precincts in Brooklyn. That may be either (a) Democrats up to shenanigans on behalf of Weprin or (b) Democrats following Dov Hikind’s orders on behalf of Turner. Remember what my source said, eh?
Our upstate New York friend The Lonely Conservative is tracking the results.
UPDATE 10:55 p.m. ET: Tea Party people . . . in New York City? Raaaaacism!
And with 121 precincts reporting, Turner leads 51% to 49%. If Turner pulls this one out, tomorrow’s White House press conference with Jay Carney ought to be an all-time classic.
UPDATE 11:05 p.m. ET: Ace of Spades has an NY-9 open thread. With 149 precincts reporting, it’s Turner 52%, Weprin 48% — a margin of barely 700 votes, of course. Very low turnout, and those Brooklyn precincts are suspiciously slow with their reports.
UPDATE 11:15 p.m. ET: With 191 precincts reporting, Turner leads 51%-48%.
UPDATE 11:30 p.m. ET: Democrats have got to be sweating now: Turner leads 51%-49% with 218 of 512 precincts reporting.
The margin is just 524 votes out of more than 28,000 cast, but still . . . this is New York City!
Linked by Donald Douglas at American Power — thanks!
UPDATE 11:40 p.m. ET: Do we dare hope? Can Turner hold on to this lead? With 271 precincts reporting, it’s Turner 53%, Weprin 46%.
UPDATE 11:45 p.m. ET: How will Democrats spin a loss in NY-9? They’ll probably blame it all on Dave Weprin’s toupeé credibility gap. And at this hour, Turner’s still leading by some 1,500 votes.
PREVIOUSLY:
- Sept. 11: NY-9: Boots on the Ground
- Sept. 9: VIDEO: Ladd Ehlinger Strikes NY-9 With Surfing Rabbi and Dancing Weiners
- Sept. 9: NY-9: Democrats Panic as Bob Turner Surges in Anthony Weiner’s District
- Aug. 22: ‘Unexpectedly’: Voters in NY-9 District Realize President Obama Is a ‘Moron’

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