Weprin Leads Race for Cash in Battle Over Weiner’s Seat
Democrat David Weprin has reportedly raised nearly twice as much money as Republican Bob Turner in the fight for disgraced U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner’s old seat.
Weprin, the favorite to win the seat, reported raising $451,000 through Aug. 24, more than double the $204,000 raised by Turner, the New York Times reported, quoting campaign documents released Thursday.
A big chunk of Turner’s cash came from loans from himself to his campaign and very little from Republican campaign groups, the paper said.
That indicates GOP officials think Turner has little chance of making an upset in the Sept. 13 special election to fill out the rest of Weiner’s term.
Polls had shown an unexpectedly close race in the overwhelmingly Democratic district, which is one of the most heavily Jewish districts in the country.
Turner has sought to make President Obama’s policies towards Israel an issue in the race and former Mayor Ed Koch urged voters to use the race to send a message of protest to the White House.
The GOP candidate, who ran against Weiner last year, also trumpeted the endorsement of a small newspaper, The Jewish Voice.
Weprin, an Orthodox Jew, insists he is a strong supporter of Israel.
The seat, which may be axed when New York undergoes redistricting next year, came open when Weiner quit amid a scandal over texting inappropriate photos to women.
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