Bob Turner doesn’t think Dem David Weprin (above) is a shoo-in for Anthony Weiner’s spot. (AP)
(
)
Underdog Republican candidate Bob Turner said yesterday he’s ready to shock the nation by winning randy ex-Rep. Anthony Weiner Queens-Brooklyn congressional seat — claiming voters are fed up with President Obama’s failed economic policies and disgusted with the local Democratic Party’s corrupt “machine politics.”
“This special election on Sept. 13 will be viewed as a bellwether for Obama,” Turner told The Post. “Economic policy is set in the wrong direction. Unemployment is up. Deficit spending has not been addressed,” said Turner, 70, a retired media executive.
“A strong showing here would be more than a wake-up call for the Obama administration to change course. The bedrock of his support is eroding.”
Turner better have a damn good slingshot.
Special congressional elections have not been kind to New York Republicans — even on their conservative home turf.
Democrat Kathy Hochul recently trounced Republican Jane Corwin in the traditional upstate GOP congressional seat in a one-issue campaign. Hochul routed Corwin for defending the House Republican plan to privatize Medicare.
Democrat opponent David Weprin will likely trot out the “Mediscare” campaign against Turner on friendlier — and likely even more receptive — turf. Turner insists he’s ready for the onslaught.
“Obama and the Democrats moved $500 million out of Medicare and into ObamaCare. And they have the nerve to complain about Medicare?!” he said.
Turner ran against Weiner last year and captured a surprising 40% of the vote.
Weiner outspent him five-to-one. Turner, a retired media executive, put up half of the $400,000 he raised out of his own pocket.
Last time around, the Republican leadership in Washington pumped their resources into more winnable races — and they regained the majority in the House of Representatives. Turner said in a special election he will not have to compete for GOP attention and resources with other contests. Still, he admitted he will have to earn the support.
“We have to gain traction over the next three weeks,” he said.
Resources won’t be an issue on Weprin’s side. Traditional Democratic support groups — particularly the labor unions — will pull out the stops to save the Weiner seat.
But New York’s political community wonder whether the race will matter much at all.
Insiders believe that regardless of the outcome, the Weiner seat will be carved up and eliminated after redistricting.
Following the census count, New York is required to remove two congressional seats in 2012. While Gov. Cuomo is demanding an independent panel to redraw district lines, it’s widely believed that the Weiner seat will be one of the two seats sacrificed — along with an upstate Republican seat — to protect all other incumbents.
Queens Democratic Party boss, Rep. Joe Crowley — whose congressional district is split between Queens and The Bronx — wants to grab some of Weiner’s neighborhoods to get out of The Bronx.
Turner said the matter is out of his hands — and he doesn’t care.
“Someone has to stand up and help fix the country’s problem now,” he said. “ I’m called upon to do it.”
Give Turned credit for raging against the machine. A day after his selection by the GOP leadership, he came out firing against his hand-picked Democratic opponent, David Weprin, whom he described as a compromised career politician.
“He’s a tax and spend Democrat,” he said of the Queens state assemblyman and former city councilman. “We will refine that going forward.”
“Weprin doesn’t even live in the 9th Congressional District. It would be good to live in the district.” Weprin, 55, lives just outside the district.
Turner also said Weprin is part of Crowley Democratic Party machine. “Crowley lives in Washington. They can appoint someone who plays musical chairs,” he said, referring to the fact that David Weprin and his brother, Mark, swapped their assembly and council seats.
“They’ve taken the district for granted. This is the opportunity to stand up and protest.”
The district takes in central Queens, the Rockaways and portions of south Brooklyn. Only about one in five voters are registered Republican. But many Democrats have moderate to conservative views, particularly the growing number of orthodox and immigrant Jewish voters who’ve recently resided in the district.
Turner said he’s a hawk on protecting Israel’s security. He called Obama’s policy on Israel — including pushing a land swap for peace with the Palestinians — “dubious.”
Turner said he will fight hard for the Jewish vote.
“I’ve gotten a number of
e-mails from rabbis. They said Weprin legislates as a non-observant Jew and campaigns as a devout Jew,” said Turner.