Endorsements have been rolling in for David Weprin, the Democratic candidate to replace Anthony Weiner in the 9th Congressional District, including a major endorsement from Republican City Council Member Peter Koo last Thursday.
Before the announcement, the only politician to have crossed party lines in the race was when former Mayor Ed Koch endorsed Republican candidate Bob Turner.
“As I have done in the past, I am crossing party lines to support a candidate I feel who will be the best for our community,” Koo said. “Members of my party may disagree with this decision; however, when I look into the mirror I know that in my heart, I am making the right decision.”
When making the endorsement, Koo cited Weprin’s support of Asians and small businesses. City Comptroller John Liu, Assemblywoman Grace Meng and City Councilwoman Margaret Chin—the city’s other major Asian elected officials—also endorsed Weprin at an earlier event.
Weprin thanked Koo, and noted that as a Congressman, he would work to help residents achieve the same level of success as Koo. “Councilman Koo is the embodiment of the American Dream, having immigrated to this country and
working his way up to become a prominent business and community leader. I look forward to working with him to fight for middle-class families and to ensure that immigrants are provided the same opportunity for prosperity that he has achieved for himself.”
Weprin also scored endorsements from the Uniformed Firefighters Association (UFA) and the Uniformed Fire Officers Association (UFOA). Last week, the UFOA blasted Turner’s television ad that used images of 9/11 to attack Weprin.
“Firefighters put their lives on the line every day to protect New Yorkers, and we need leaders like David Weprin fighting on the front lines for us in Washington,” UFOA President Al Hagan said at the endorsement event.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has also endorsed Weprin along with the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare—both cited Weprin’s plans to support entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare. The two programs were identified as major concerns in a recent Siena College poll about the election, and Weprin’s campaign has been intensifying its efforts to paint Turner as an extremist who would cut the programs.
Turner has also said he would protect the program, and a recorded message from Koch told seniors that Weprin was lying and should be ashamed of himself.
Besides Koch, Turner has also scored key endorsements from fellow Republicans, including Congressmen Peter King and Michael Grimm, Councilman Eric Ulrich and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
By Eric Yun
