Dems might lose Anthony Weiner's seat: Blame Obama?
A Republican political newbie is poised to pull off a major upset in a New York congressional district that's been in Democratic hands since 1923

Democrats have gone into panic mode in the New York race to replace disgraced former Rep. Anthony Weiner. Little-known Republican businessman Bob Turner has surged into a polling lead over Democratic state Assemblyman David Weprin ahead of Tuesday's special election. No Republican has represented the heavily Democratic NY-09 district (comprising parts of Brooklyn and Queens) since 1923, and spooked Democrats are now pumping hundreds of thousands of dollars into negative ads against Turner in a bid to hang onto the district. Still, some Democratic insiders fret that President Obama's declining popularity is driving voters to the Republican Turner, who has never held political office, and turning the Democrat into an underdog. Is Obama really to blame?
Yes. This is a clear rebuke of Obama: Turner is "riding the anti-politician wave," says Stephen Meister in the New York Post. And Weprin is a career politician "who does the bidding of the Democratic machine." It's Obama who runs that machine, and the president's "radically anti-Israel stance" and abysmal performance on the economy are turning off the once reliably Democratic Jewish voters who make up a third of NY-09.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
No. Weprin's wounds are largely self-inflicted: Weprin "has been hurt by his lack of charisma," say Thomas Kaplan and Kate Taylor in The New York Times, and his own "weak campaign." He's made plenty of costly gaffes — such as backing out of a debate, and guessing that the national debt was just $4 trillion. (It's actually north of $14 trillion.) Weprin, an Orthodox Jew, has also been hurt by his support of same-sex marriage, which may be driving Jewish voters into Turner's camp.
"Fearing loss of Weiner's seat, Democrats make a late push"
Regardless, this is bad for Democrats: If Weprin loses, he and Obama will share the blame, says David Kurtz at Talking Points Memo. NY-09 isn't one of New York City's "hardcore Democratic havens" — while Democrats have a 3-to-1 advantage in registered voters, Obama only got 55 percent of the vote there in 2008. But there's no denying this race is a bellwether: "A loss here would paint a very bleak picture for Democrats going into 2012."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
July 6 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday’s political cartoons include paying for school lunch by enlisting, and the banality of evil
-
5 biting editorial cartoons about 'Alligator Alcatraz'
Cartoons Artists take on dangerous green things, historical precedent, and more
-
A journey into the deep past on beautiful Arran
The Week Recommends New Unesco Global Geopark played a 'key role' in the birth of modern geological science
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidents
The Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?
In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
-
'Seriously, not literally': how should the world take Donald Trump?
Today's big question White House rhetoric and reality look likely to become increasingly blurred
-
Will Trump's 'madman' strategy pay off?
Today's Big Question Incoming US president likes to seem unpredictable but, this time round, world leaders could be wise to his playbook
-
Democrats vs. Republicans: which party are the billionaires backing?
The Explainer Younger tech titans join 'boys' club throwing money and support' behind President Trump, while older plutocrats quietly rebuke new administration
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
-
Is Trump okay?
Today's Big Question Former president's mental fitness and alleged cognitive decline firmly back in the spotlight after 'bizarre' town hall event
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?