State Assemblyman Rory Lancman (l.) is pleased with the boundaries of his proposed district under redistricting, but Assemblyman David Weprin is not.

The proposed districts of state Assemblymen David Weprin (l.) and Rory Lancman look drastically different under the newly released plans.

Reactions were mixed after two state Assembly districts in eastern Queens were drastically changed last Thursday by a state panel in charge of redrawing political boundaries.

Assemblymen Rory Lancman (D-Fresh Meadows) and David Weprin (D-Little Neck) saw their districts — the 25th and 24th, respectively — morph to include different neighborhoods throughout northeast Queens, with Lancman’s being turned into a much-discussed majority Asian district.

Weprin vowed to testify against the current maps, calling his proposed district less cohesive, while Lancman touted his proposed district as just the opposite.

The redistricting process happens every decade after the results of the U.S. census are made final. A state body made up of politicians and civilians, called the Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment, adjusts political lines to accommodate for population increases.

The majority party in each house draws the maps, so Democrats created the Assembly lines and Republicans the Senate lines. The process is often controversial, and this time around is no different.

In 2002, the last time the lines were drawn, Lancman’s District 25 was largely aligned on a north-south axis. His district stretched all the way from portions of Richmond Hill in the south through Briarwood, Kew Gardens Hills, Fresh Meadows and Flushing and finally up to Whitestone in the north. It encompasses six community boards, six police precincts and four school districts.

The proposed district would be oriented east to west and lose the far-flung neighborhoods to the north and south, like Whitestone and Richmond Hill, and instead concentrate more on Flushing, Fresh Meadows and parts of Bayside.

And that would cut the number of community boards, police precincts and school districts for the seat in half.

“It helps keeps communities together,” said Eric Walker, spokesman for Lancman. “We’re happy with the outcome and look forward to reporting to our new constituents.”

The district would also be more than 50 percent Asian — which includes people of all Asian backgrounds — which is something advocated for by The Asian American Community Coalition on Redistricting and Democracy.

The coalition has said the rising Asian population in New York City warranted at least four Assembly districts so the populations could be adequately represented in government, according to James Hong, spokesman for the coalition.

The coalition ultimately supports the Unity Maps, an alternate proposal drawn up by several groups throughout the state, but Hong echoed Lancman and said the proposed District 25 is an improvement over the 2002 version.

“It is more reflective of a community that exists here in northeast Queens,” he said. “We are definitely appreciative of what the Assembly side of [the task force] has attempted to do here.”

But Hong said the coalition’s cautious optimism does not carry over to other neighborhoods like Richmond Hill, which has long been splintered into several Assembly districts.

A portion of that neighborhood was formerly represented by Lancman, but under the proposed maps, a portion of it would go to Weprin’s District 24 instead.

District 24 is currently compact and vaguely rectangular. It covers neighborhoods including Jamaica Estates and Auburndale to the west and runs through Fresh Meadows, Douglaston, Little Neck, Glen Oaks and Floral Park in the east.

The proposed district is much thinner and would run from Richmond Hill in the east and then follow the Grand Central Parkway west through Jamaica Hills, Jamaica Estates, Holliswood and Fresh Meadows before ending up again in Oakland Gardens.

“Following the publication of the draft redistricting maps, I want to state my opposition to the changes made to the 24th Assembly district,” Weprin said in a statement. “Northeast Queens is a special and distinct geographic region, whose residents and community leaders have voiced their desire to be kept together in a contiguous district rather than be divided.”

A state task force proposes these state Senate districts for Queens, which has received wide criticism in the borough.

No matter how you slice it, the redistricting plan drawn up by a state task force last week was widely panned in Queens by critics who said the proposal breaks up communities and gerrymanders the lines.

Every 10 years, districts for state Senate, state Assembly and congressional lines are redrawn to reflect population changes recorded in the census.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said he would veto any plan not conceived by an independent commission.

The lines were proposed by the state Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment, a body comprised of elected officials and members of the public selected by elected officials.

Under the group’s plan, Sens. Toby Stavisky (D-Whitestone) and Tony Avella (D-Bayside) would have to run against each other in a primary in one district and Sens. Jose Peralta (D-Corona) and Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria) would face off in another contest.

“I can’t believe there are Democrats that would have to primary each other,” said Sen. Shirley Huntley (D-Jamaica), whose southern Queens district would cut Broad Channel and sections of southeast Queens and add parts of the Rockaways if the plan is enacted.

The Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association is against the plan because it would carve up the neighborhood among three different senators: Joseph Addabbo, Malcolm Smith and Shirley Huntley

“When it comes to the Senate lines, the people of Woodhaven are being treated as pawns in Albany’s gerrymandering games,” said Alexander Blenkinsopp, spokesman for the association.

Eastern Queens United, a group of a dozen civic associations, criticized the redistricting process for dividing communities.

The task force “has abdicated its responsibility to serve the needs of the community and instead has served the needs of its politicians,” said Bob Friedrich, president of the Glen Oaks Village co-op and founder of EQU. “The new legislative maps are an abomination and are gerrymandered to break up our communities that have simply asked to remain united.”

Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Little Neck), who represents a portion of the area covered by Eastern Queens United, said he was against the task force’s map.

“Northeast Queens is a special and distinct geographic region, whose residents and community leaders have voiced their desire to be kept together in a contiguous district rather than be divided,” he said in a statement. “I look forward to offering testimony as part of [the task force’s] public review process and for my constituents to do likewise in order to end with a map that truly represents the unique character of northeast Queens.”

The Asian American Community Coalition on Redistricting and Democracy applauded the task force for drawing a new Asian-American majority Senate district in Queens and a new Assembly district but criticized the group for dividing Flushing.

“A compact district in Flushing-Bayside should be drawn to keep Asian-American communities of interest together in these neighborhoods,” the group said.

ACCORD also said the task force “has not brought equality to all Asian-American neighborhoods across New York” because Richmond Hill and South Ozone Park were divided into multiple districts.

Congressman Joseph Crowley (back) puts his arms on Councilman Peter Koo's shoulders during an event to announce that Koo was switching his affiliation from the Republican to the Democratic Party. Councilmen Jimmy Van Bramer (second r.) and Ruben Wills look on. Photo by Christina Santucci

Councilman Peter Koo (c.) shakes hands with state Sen. Toby Stavisky (l.). Photo by Christina Santucci

Councilman Peter Koo (front r.) shakes hands with Barbara Conacchio, the chief clerk for the Board of Elections' Queens office, after his registration card was stamped. Photo by Christina Santucci

City Councilman Peter Koo (D-Flushing) officially registered with the Democratic Party Monday at the Queens Board of Elections offices in Kew Gardens after running on the GOP line three years ago to win a seat on the Council.

Koo is the wealthy owner of the Starside Drugs pharmacy chain and self-financed his campaign.

“We cherish the diversity of our party,” said U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-East Elmhurst), chairman of the Queens Democratic Party, during a news conference Monday at the BOE. “Peter’s joining this effort is a boon to our party and I think it’s great for Flushing in particular.”

Koo said infighting within the Queens GOP was part of his decision to switch parties. He said Democrats had “more leadership” and “more members” on the Council.

“From the beginning, I was always a Democrat at heart,” Koo said.

Queens GOP spokesman Robert Hornak said the party expects to work with Koo in the future.

“We’re disappointed to see him go, but we’ve always had a good relationship with him and we think highly of him,” Hornak said.

City Comptroller John Liu, Koo’s predecessor on the Council, said Koo’s stances on social issues were more in line with Democratic views.

“The issues that he’s talked about … [are] ?really much in line with our Queens delegation,” Liu said, shortly before Koo handed in his registration form to Barbara Conacchio, chief clerk at the BOE. “So it’s only rational that Peter Koo is about to be a Democrat.”

Koo’s switch to the Democratic side means Queens has only three GOP elected officials: U.S. Rep. Bob Turner (R-Middle Village) and Councilmen Dan Halloran (R-Bayside) and Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park).

“We’re used to electing Democrats, not always converting them,” Crowley said.

After Koo’s switch, Halloran said, “political parties aren’t everything.

“Peter is still my friend and colleague, and I’ll still work with him to cut taxes and create jobs in northeast Queens,” he said.

During Turner’s race, Koo went against his party and endorsed state Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Little Neck).

When Koo ran in 2009, the Democratic field had five candidates running in the primary.

Koo also said the Republican presidential primary process “was a small part of my decision … especially on immigrant issues.

“I understand how hard it is to be a newcomer,” he said.

State Assemblyman Rory Lancman (D-Fresh Meadows) joked that he was mystified why Koo first joined the Republicans in the first place.

“I never quite understood why he was a Republican,” Lancman said. “Such a nice guy. He likes people, he likes the immigrant community.”

Councilman Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans), dean of the Queens Council delegation, said the party always had a good working relationship with Koo.

“We always treated you like one of our own,” he told Koo. “We always treated him as an equal part of the delegation because it’s about serving people.”

Virginia Salow (c.), a member of the Queens Colony Civic Association, says eastern Queens has been divided into three state Assembly districts for the 30 years she has lived there. Photo by Rich Bockmann

Flushing resident Sunny Hahn voices her opinion on redistricting. Photo by Rich Bockmann

Leaders from more than a dozen eastern Queens civic groups met in Bellerose last week, demanding their communities be united by the state task force that will redraw the area’s legislative lines for the coming decade.

The state Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment is expected to release its first-draft maps within the next few weeks, and the members of Eastern Queens United stressed the importance of seeing their neighborhoods represented by one state Assembly district.

Currently, Glen Oaks, New Hyde Park, Bellerose, Floral Park and Queens Village are represented by Assembly members David Weprin (D-Little Neck), Ed Braunstein (D-Bayside) and Barbara Clark (D-Queens Village).

“It’s difficult to get any of them to come to my civic association because we are on the fringe,” said Nagassar Ramgarib, president of the Queens Village Civic Association, in the auditorium of the Queens High School of Teaching, Liberal Arts and the Sciences.

Bob Friedrich, president of Glen Oaks Village, said all of these neighborhood share common quality-of-life issues and that the different civic groups all work together.

“It’s important that whoever represents us understands that when our civics speak, their words are backed up by tens of thousands of votes,” he said.

The group invited a number of politicians to the meeting, asking them to pledge their support for its cause, testify at public meetings and pledge to vote “no” on any map that divided the community.

Before leaving to attend a personal engagement, Weprin said he “fully supported keeping the communities united” and would testify at the public meeting that will be scheduled once LATFOR releases its map.

When Friedrich asked the assemblyman to make the pledge, Weprin replied, “I can’t commit to voting ‘no,’” which drew boos from a handful of the approximately 150 attendees.

“I didn’t like that he wouldn’t commit,” said Charlie Vaicels, of the Queens Colony Civic Association in Bellerose. “He probably has commitments to other people.”

Braunstein was attending an event in Whitestone that evening, and Clark did not respond to an invitation, Friedrich said.

“It goes to show you, if you’re on the periphery of their district, they don’t care,” he said.

Eastern Queens United also wants to be represented by one state Senate district.

“I’ll go to those hearings and scream my head off, but the issue will be decided behind closed doors,” said Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside), who affirmed Friedrich’s pledge.

City Councilman Mark Weprin (D-Oakland Gardens), who used to hold his brother’s Assembly seat, wrote a letter to the heads of LATFOR urging the task force to create a district that resembled the one he represents in the council.

He said the real problem is that the current process is set up so that each political party can keep its majorities in the two legislative houses.

“Independent redistricting is important today because people don’t respect the government,” he said.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said he would veto any map not created by an independent commission, sending the decision to the courts to be decided.

“That might be the best way to go,” the councilman said. “I like that I can say, ‘The politicians didn’t do it.’”

Ex-U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner (r.) and his wife, Huma Abedin, had their first child, Jordan Zain Weiner, late last month. AP Photo/Barbara Kinney

Former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner became a first-time father late last month after his wife gave birth to a 7-pound boy, the New York Post reported.

Weiner, who resigned from his Queens congressional seat earlier this year after a texting scandal, announced the birth of Jordan Zain Weiner in an e-mail to friends, calling his son a “sparkling wonder,” the Post said.

“Did I mention his mom is amazing?” Weiner said in the e-mail, referring to Huma Abedin, a top aide to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. “We love you for welcoming him.”

Jordan, who weighed 7 pounds 5.8 ounces at birth, is the first child for Weiner, 47, and Abedin, 36.

Weiner, who had been in office since 1999, resigned in June amid a sexting scandal in which he admitted to having online relationships with a number of women and sent them lewd photos.

Weiner initially claimed his Twitter account was hacked but then came clean in early June.

He resigned later that month during a news conference at a Brooklyn senior center where he started his political career, leading to Gov. Andrew Cuomo calling for a September special election to succeed Weiner in the House of Representatives.

The special election was won by Republican Bob Turner, who defeated state Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Little Neck) in the heated contest.

U.S. Rep. Bob Turner (l.) replaced former Congressman Anthony Weiner in a November special election when Turner became the first Republican to hold the Queens-Brooklyn seat since 1920.

Heading into 2011, the Queens political scene was supposed to be uneventful, with District Attorney Richard Brown facing no opposition and the foregone conclusion that Democratic judicial candidates would defeat their Republican rivals as they have for every year in recent memory.

And while the November elections went as expected — Brown won a sixth term and the six Democratic judges on the ballot won seats on the bench — one unforeseen contest in September with an improbable ending would shock the borough and the country.

A showdown between state Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Little Neck) and retired Republican businessman Bob Turner was set in motion after then-U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner began a fall from grace when he lied about sending a lewd photograph of his crotch to his followers on Twitter.

As the scandal started to unfold in early June, Weiner, who at the time was considered the odds-on favorite to be the next mayor, said the photo was not of him and that his Twitter account was hacked.

But then later that month, an X-rated photo of Weiner that he sent to a Twitter follower was released and the congressman admitted it was indeed him who sent the pictures.

As calls for his resignation grew louder, Weiner at first was granted a leave of absence and said he would go to rehab.

Ultimately, as his support diminished, Weiner held a news conference in late June at the Brooklyn senior center where he launched his political career to announce his resignation from Congress, saying the distraction he caused made it impossible for him to do his job.

As soon as Weiner left his seat and Gov. Andrew Cuomo called a Sept. 13 special election to succeed the congressman, speculation grew over who the Democratic Party would select to run on its line.

In the end, Democratic leaders from Brooklyn and Queens chose Weprin and Republicans turned to Turner, who ran unsuccessfully against Weiner in 2010.

In what was widely believed to be a cakewalk for Weprin, Turner’s campaign built momentum as the weeks went by, first gaining support from former Democratic Mayor Ed Koch and endorsements from the Daily News and the New York Post.

Weprin had a number of Democratic elected officials on his side, including U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.).

A series of debates between the two candidates drew hecklers on one occasion as both men challenged each other’s views on federal spending, the deficit, Israel, Medicare and Social Security.

Early polls showed Weprin ahead, but as Sept. 13 grew closer, Turner had the upper hand.

Turner went on to defeat Weprin 53 percent to 46 percent and became the first Republican to hold that particular congressional seat since 1920.?

In Queens, Weprin bested Turner 52 percent to 47 percent, but Turner dominated the Brooklyn portion of the district 67 percent to 33 percent.

The shocking result was attributed by political observers to President Barack Obama’s unpopularity at the time and Turner’s success in making the race a referendum on Obama’s policies.

Also this year, the retirement of then-Assemblywomen Audrey Pheffer and Nettie Mayersohn opened the political stage to two aides who had served behind the scenes for years.

Phil Goldfeder, a former aide to Pheffer, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Schumer, defeated Republican District Leader Jane Deacy to succeed Pheffer while Mayersohn’s longtime chief of staff, Michael Simanowitz, defeated College Point Republican Marco DeSena to replace Mayersohn.

Judge Toko Serita (c.) performed a wedding ceremony for Therese Lendino (l.) and Laura Casini at Queens Borough Hall July 24, when same-sex marriage went into effect in New York state.

Supreme Court Judge Darrel Gavrin (front l.) completes marriage documents for Darryl Wong and Michael Kandel (r.), of Douglaston, who were one of the 90 couples to get married in Queens the first day same-sex marriages could be performed.

Desiree (l.) and Katrice Bussell, of Jamaica, were one of 90 pairs to get married in Queens July 24, when same-sex marriage was able to be performed in New York state.

Before Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the bill June 24 that would legalize same-sex marriage in New York state, Astoria LGBT activist Brendan Fay and his husband, Dr. Thomas Moulton, helped same-sex couples in New York cross the border into Canada or into neighboring states to get married.

Now he receives messages from people in Ireland and Poland eager to marry in New York state.

“It was just so great to see couples getting married and right here in our city,” Fay said.

The June 24 vote came down to four Republican senators from upstate New York who voted in support of the measure, but the debate had been fought in Queens for years. The state Assembly had voted for marriage equality in 2007 and 2009.

While 2011 would see all seven Queens senators vote in favor of the bill, in 2009 five of Queens’ senators voted against the measure: current state Sens. Shirley Huntley (D-Jamaica) and Joseph Addabbo Jr. (D-Howard Beach) and former Sens. George Onorato, Hiram Monserrate and Frank Padavan.

In 2011, the Queens political scene looked much different. Onorato retired and was replaced by Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria). Monserrate had been booted from the Senate following a misdemeanor assault conviction and lost the special election for the seat to Jose Peralta (D-East Elmhurst). Padavan, Queens’ only Republican senator, lost to Tony Avella (D-Bayside) in a contentious race.

Queens also now had two openly gay city councilmen — Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) and Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) — to advocate for the issue.

“The presence of these two capable, community-oriented, active councilmen has shown that gay legislators will do a good job of representing their constituents across the board, which in turn reinforces the idea of gay people as members of the community,” Queens College political science professor Michael Krasner said in an e-mail.

In mid-June, a large swath of Queens legislators, led by U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights), held a news conference at Queens Borough Hall in support of marriage equality. Shortly afterward, Huntley and Addabbo announced they had taken polls of their districts and found their constituents now supported it.

Their flipped votes, along with a change of heart by then-Brooklyn Sen. Carl Kruger, meant all New York Senate Democrats except for Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. (D-Bronx) were in support of the measure.

The act passed June 24 and was signed by Cuomo the same day. A month later, 90 same-sex couples lined up at Queens Borough Hall to be married.

In November, Van Bramer and his longtime partner, Dan Hendrick, announced they will be joining those who have been married in Queens next year.

“I think the main impact has been to solidify the alliances between the gay community and the other liberal groups in the Democratic Party,” Krasner said. “I also think it may have the long-term effect of isolating anti-gay marriage groups.”

Some states have seen a backlash after granting same-sex marriages. The Supreme Court of California’s decision to allow gay couples to marry ended when voters passed the constitutional amendment known as Proposition 8. Iowa voters defeated three judges who ruled in favor of marriage equality.

Krasner said Assemblyman David Weprin’s (D-Little Neck) pro-marriage equality vote may have contributed to some religious groups voting for now-Rep. Bob Turner (R-Middle Village) in the race for the 9th Congressional District, but he said the main reasons for Weprin’s defeat were his weakness as a candidate and an anti-President Barack Obama sentiment.

Krasner said Addabbo and Huntley, as incumbents, will remain hard to beat.

Fay said that while a potential backlash was a concern, he nevertheless believes the vote was a turning point.

“I look forward to the day when all other states follow New York,” he said.

City Councilman Eric Ulrich will be chairing Mitt Romney’s campaign operation in the city. Photo by Christina Santucci

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has tapped City Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) to head his campaign operations in New York City.

Ulrich, 26, is a rising star in the Republican Party who was first elected to the Council when he was 24.

He is one of five Republicans on the Council and among three GOP councilmen from Queens.

Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts, is the frontrunner for the GOP nomination in the race to decide who will face President Barack Obama in November 2012.

The announcement came from Romney’s New York state chairman, Guy Molinari, the former Staten Island borough president and congressman.

“Since being elected in 2009, Eric Ulrich has emerged as one of the rising stars in the Republican Party,” Molinari said in a statement. “I am honored that he has agreed to work with me to ensure that Gov. Romney assembles a formidable organization here in New York City for our party’s primary and we return New York to the Republican column next November.”

Ulrich said he believes Romney is the best candidate in a crowded Republican field.

“As the debate over our nation’s future reaches a critical stage, I am certain that Gov. Romney has the experience and ideas needed to get our country moving again,” the councilman said in a statement. “In 2009 and 2010 the Republican Party in New York City experienced remarkable gains in city, state and congressional elections. I am looking forward to working with Guy Molinari to build on those successes and elect Mitt Romney the next president of the United States.”

The gains Ulrich was referring to include U.S. Rep. Bob Turner’s (R-Kew Gardens) upset victory in September over state Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Little Neck) in the special election to replace former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner and the elections of GOP City Councilmen Peter Koo (R-Flushing) and Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone).

Kings County Supreme Court Judge John Ingram (r.) swears in U.S. Rep. Bob Turner at a ceremony Sunday. Photo by Rebecca Henely

Despite a disruption from a small protest, U.S. Rep. Bob Turner (R-Kew Gardens) was inaugurated Sunday at Metropolitan High School in Forest Hills before an enthusiastic crowd. The first Republican congressman to represent the district since 1923 received support from Republicans and Democrats at the ceremony.

“We are here today because Bob Turner stood up for what was right,” said Rep. Peter King (R-Massapequa Park), who acted as master of ceremonies for the inauguration.

About 150 people attended the event at the 91-30 Metropolitan Ave. schools in Forest Hills. Turner’s wife Peggy held the Bible as he was ceremonially sworn in by Kings County Supreme Court Judge John Ingram.

But the swearing-in did not go completely as planned when Astoria resident Adam Weissman, 33, yelled out a criticism of Turner during the oath and was escorted out.

Weissman said he was a part of TradeJustice, a collective of various organizations against free trade. The protest, which included two other people, was sponsored by the protest group Occupy Wall Street and targeted Turner’s ?yea vote on a free trade agreement with Colombia, Panama and South Korea. President Barack Obama signed the bill last month. Weissman said the law would outsource hundreds of thousands of American jobs.

“I was trying to say that Bob Turner, after two months in office, has already sold out the voters of Queens and Brooklyn,” Weissman said.

The interruption did not faze Turner, who received a standing ovation. After being sworn in, Turner said the country was off-track because of a drift in foreign policy, out-of-control spending and regulatory organizations that he claimed hindered business development.

“People are waking up as you’ve woken up,” Turner told the crowd. “Things are wrong.”

He also characterized Occupy Wall Street as being on “the wrong track” and said America’s capitalist system leaves people free to work and keep their profits.

“America has been a beacon to the world,” Turner said.

Turner’s win over state Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Little Neck) in the special election for the 9th District seat, which opened after former Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner resigned amid a sexting Twitter scandal, was seen as an upset for the largely Democratic district. His coverage area winds through Queens and Brooklyn, including the neighborhoods of Kew Gardens, Forest Hills, Maspeth, Middle Village, Ridgewood, Ozone Park, Rego Park, Howard Beach, Glendale, Fresh Meadows, Oakland Gardens, Rockaway Beach and Woodhaven.?

Former Democratic Mayor Ed Koch, whose endorsement of Turner was a great factor in him getting elected, said that while he has known Turner a short time, they have become good friends.

“I look forward to participating in his next election,” Koch said.

While Turner was joined for his inauguration by City Councilmen Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) and Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park), Turner’s Democratic colleagues also attended the inauguration, including state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Howard Beach) and Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D-Howard Beach).

Addabbo, who supported Weprin in the special election, said he was happy for Turner and dedicated to working with him to serve their constituents.

“People benefit when elected officials work together and that’s the oath we took,” Addabbo said.

Newly elected U.S. Rep. Bob Turner talks to TimesLedger staff about his first weeks in office. Photo by Christina Santucci

Newly elected U.S. Rep. Bob Turner (R-Howard Beach) met with his predecessor, Anthony Weiner, for an hour last week to discuss ongoing issues in the 9th Congressional District.

Turner requested the tete-a-tete to try and make his transition to Congress as smooth as possible for constituents, he said in an interview at TimesLedger Newspapers’ office last Thursday.

“There are a lot of things in the pipeline,” Turner said of the roughly 166 active case files Weiner’s staff has stayed to work on since the former Democratic congressman resigned in June amid a sexting scandal. “It was all business. I never asked how he was feeling.”

Turner already has his sights on several Queens issues.

He will pick up the torch on many problems Weiner worked on or was at least aware of, Turner said, even though the two men are from polar opposites of the political spectrum. The Republican congressman, for example, plans to intervene on behalf of Middle Village residents who are tormented by trains running through their neighborhood, he said.

Turner also expressed concern for the eroding beaches of Rockaway, the gas pipeline running through Broad Channel and his opposition to the expansion of a John F. Kennedy International Airport runway into environmentally fragile Jamaica Bay.

Turner has not met with many other members of the Queens congressional delegation to talk about issues that affect the borough. He did sit down, however, with City Councilman Peter Koo (R-Flushing),? despite the fact that Turner’s district encompasses only a small piece of Koo’s Flushing. The councilman endorsed Turner’s opponent, state Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Little Neck), in the special election race that culminated Sept. 13. Koo met with Turner to talk about the issues facing groups of Asian immigrants since some live in Turner’s district.?

Turner has also been under the wing of Rep. Peter King (R-Massapequa Park), who Turner said has been charged with easing the neophyte into his new job.

“This has been a whirlwind,” Turner said, saying he did not have the luxury of attending introductory sessions that helped some of his freshmen colleagues acclimate last year.

He has already voted about 20 times, and like most congressmen he has had little time to actually read what he was voting on.

He espoused many of his campaign talking points — namely his desire to repeal the National Health Care Act and rein in government spending as well as his aversion to taxes and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

Turner said there is a desire on the Republican Party’s part to keep the 9th CD instead of redistricting it out of existence as Democrats might have done had they won the seat. Either way he still plans to run again for office.

Turner was mum about the current infighting between two factions of the Queens GOP, saying he was above the fray since he worked in Washington.

He also has not picked a favorite in the Republican presidential race.

The 70-year-old Turner also revealed a few nuggets about his formative years, and they confirm he will not be changing his political ideology anytime soon.

In college, Turner was part of Young Americans for Freedom, a politically conservative action group that stood in stark contrast to other radical student groups at the time.

“Most students were radical, bomb-throwing,” he joked. “But I took a different turn.”

State Assemblyman Rory Lancman (r.) chats with his newly elected colleague Phil Goldfeder on Election Day. Photo by Christina Santucci

Newly elected U.S. Rep. Bob Turner (R-Howard Beach) weighed in on his first piece of legislation the same day he was sworn in to the House last Thursday, which a Democratic lawmaker in Queens said is indicative of why the 9th Congressional District voted Turner into office for the wrong reasons.

“Literally on Day 1, he was sworn in in the morning and by the end of the day he had voted to not only undermine very basic protections that American workers have against abuse and retaliation, but literally pave the way for American jobs to be outsourced overseas,” said state Assemblyman Rory Lancman (D-Fresh Meadows) the day after the vote.

Turner voted along with much of the Republican Party to pass the Protecting Jobs from Government Interference Act in Congress with a vote of 238-186.

The act seeks to deprive the National Labor Relations Board of power to regulate how private companies ?deal with unions, according to Lancman, who chairs the Subcommittee on Workplace Safety and reportedly had his eye on the 9th District seat before the Queens Democratic Party picked state Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Little Neck) as its candidate.

Currently, if a company moves a factory out of a particular area and the NLRB deems it was moved to avoid unions, the board can force the company to move the factory back under the National Labor Relations Act.

The legislation that Turner voted for in Congress would take that power away.

Lancman said companies have the right to build factories and move wherever they want, but not if that move is in retaliation for workers exercising their right to organize.

But Turner said he voted with regard to the aircraft manufacturing company Boeing, which wanted to build a new facility in South Carolina, but was being prevented by the NLRB.

“They were blocking the building of the plant,” Turner said, adding that he vote was meant to help the company create 10,000 jobs that would be a part of the new plant.

Turner’s upset election has alternatively been referred to as a referendum on Obama’s administration, his policy on Israel and even the issue of gay marriage, and the former television executive even had many Democratic politicians supporting him.

But that message was sent Sept. 13, Lancman said, and now voters are left with Turner’s conservative Republican political leanings for the rest of the term.

“I think that those who voted for Mr. Turner to make a protest against Obama on Israel or health care … that protest was on Tuesday,” he said. “But now the philosophy that Bob Turner represents is going to be reflected in the votes he takes and those are going to be conservative Republican votes.”

In this particular vote, Lancman said that since Queens is made up of largely working-class residents, many of whom are members of unions, it was a vote that was not in line with his constituency’s best interests and instead was simply along party lines.

“If he’s going to be a solider in John Boehner’s conservative, anti-government army in Washington, then I’m going to continue to call him on it,” Lancman said.

Bob Turner (c.) speaks to supporters during an Election Night party with his wife, Peggy (second from r.), by his side. Photo by Christina Santucci

Democrats may have a 3-1 advantage over Republicans in the 9th Congressional District, but President Barack Obama’s unpopularity and the state of the economy sank state Assemblyman David Weprin’s (D-Little Neck) chances of winning the seat over Republican Bob Turner, according to political observers.

“I think there was a lot of anger about the economy and a lot of anxiety about jobs,” said Elizabeth Holtzman, who held the seat for four terms in the 1970s and 1980s and expressed interest in running this time around, but was passed over in favor of Weprin by Queens Democratic Party Chairman U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights). “People are angry and worried and it’s not only in the 9th Congressional District.”

In Queens, Weprin bested Turner 52 percent to 47 percent, but Turner dominated the Brooklyn portion of the district 67 percent to 33 percent.

In an interview, Weprin said his poor showing in Brooklyn was due to Turner’s having more recognition there — he ran for the seat two years ago — and Weprin’s vote in favor of gay marriage in the state Assembly.

“My support for marriage equality hurt me with the Orthodox [Jewish] community,” he said.

“It was a perfect storm against me,” said Weprin, including “the fact that my opponent successfully made the race a referendum on Obama.”

Weprin said his campaign tried to get out the message that Turner wants to cut the federal budget by 35 percent and slash Medicare and Social Security.

“The media didn’t cover any of that,” he said.

Holtzman, who has strong ties to Brooklyn — she used to be the Brooklyn district attorney — and is familiar to Queens residents for her stint in the House seat that was up for grabs last week, said she believes she would have been a stronger candidate.

“People knew me as a very strong, outspoken fighter for many causes,” she said. “As someone who stood up to a lot of presidents — from Richard Nixon to Gerald Ford to Jimmy Carter, regardless of party — I think people understood I could be a very strong messenger.”?

But one political observer said the candidates did not matter as much in the special election as someone who was not running: Obama.

“Congressional elections are generally viewed in the context of the president,” the observer said. “When you’re a Democrat running against a Republican and George Bush is the president, you do well. When you’re a Democrat and Barack Obama is the president, you don’t do as well.”

The observer said the most telling indicator of the outcome of the special election was a Public Policy Polling poll released four days before the contest that showed Obama with a 31 percent approval rating in the 9th Congressional District and a less than 50 percent approval rating among Democrats in the district.

“In the end, I don’t think it mattered much about the candidates,” the observer said. “In a race for Congress, people look first and foremost to the president.”

Turner appeared to gain momentum early in the race when he picked up his first high-profile endorsement, when former Democratic Mayor Ed Koch backed him.

In endorsing Turner, Koch urged voters to cast their ballot for the Republican “to send a message to Obama” on his Israel policy.

“Once Koch injected ‘send a message,’ that was all she wrote for David Weprin,” the observer said. “Koch was not relevant except that he was able to give voice that people who wanted to send a message to Obama [should] send a message to Obama. It was not about gay marriage, it was not about Israel.”

Holtzman agreed the election gave voters unhappy with Obama a reason to vote for Turner.

“Once the race was viewed as sending a message to Washington, there were a lot of people who wanted to send a message to Washington, particularly on the economy,” she said.

In a May congressional special election upstate, the Democratic candidate was not expected to win, but the race occurred a week after Osama bin Laden was killed and Obama’s approval rating at the time was 48 percent.

The Democrat captured 48 percent of the vote and won the election in a three-way race.

U.S. Rep. Bob Turner (r.) chums it up with Mayor Michael Bloomberg over breakfast in Howard Beach, as the two businessmen meet for the first time. Photo by Christina Santucci

The victory by U.S. Rep. Bob Turner (R-Howard Beach) in the race for the 9th Congressional District seat has complicated plans for the congressional redistricting that is set to take place next year.

“It kind of flips things on its head,” said Alex Camarda of the government watchdog group Citizens Union in New York. “It obviously complicates things for the Democrats downstate. That was the seat they were planning to get rid of.”

In the 2010 census, the decline in the state’s population corresponded to losing two seats in Congress, which will bring the number to 27.

The typical thinking would be that each party would lose a seat. One would be picked from upstate and the other from downstate, according to Camarda. Afterward each district in the state would become slightly larger to absorb the people who lost their representatives.

As the election unfolded, it was widely thought that state Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Little Neck) would win the seat, which would then be eliminated, and the Republican Party would pick an upstate seat to dissolve.

But now that Turner is in office, both parties will have to change their strategies.

One factor is that Turner has repeatedly expressed his willingness to stay in Congress, even if his seat is eliminated.

He met with Mayor Michael Bloomberg Monday for the first time over breakfast in Howard Beach. The two businessmen-turned-lawmakers talked about their careers, the acquaintances they had in common and the future of New York City.

Turner said he would run against other incumbents, which means he could become a possible contender for other Democratic seats in the area, which are held by U.S. Reps Gregory Meeks (D-Jamaica), Joe Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) or Gary Ackerman (D-Bayside).?

But Republicans will have to choose whether they want to protect Turner’s seat, which could go back to a Democrat in the future, or protect some upstate legislators who recently won elections, according to Barbara Bartoletti, legislative director for the League of Women Voters.

It also remains to be seen whether Democrats will go after Rep. Kathy Hochul (D-Greece), who won upstate in a heavily Republican area.

Regardless of how the new lines will look, Bartoletti said the process will be decided by party politics behind closed doors.

“The party bosses and special interests gain in situations like this,” she said.

If Turner’s seat is eliminated in Queens, she said the Democratic Party will look to protect more senior members like Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Astoria).

But Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said he will veto any legislative lines that are not drawn by an independent commission, a position he shares with several Queens lawmakers.

Vincent Tabone, vice chairman of the Queens GOP Party, said the Turner victory was a statement that voters in the district did not want to lose their representation.

“The people of the 9th Congressional District voted to maintain their congressional representation,” he said. “They fully comprehended that had they voted for Weprin, they were consenting to a dissolution of their congressional seat.”

In addition, voters voiced their opinion that the country was heading in the wrong direction, Tabone said.

Bob Turner carries his ballot over to the voting machine in Breezy Point. Photo by Christina Santucci

Assemblyman David Weprin and his wife Ronni greet voters outside PS 26. Photo by Christina Santucci

In a shocking upset, Republican congressional candidate Bob Turner defeated Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Little Neck), 53 percent to 47 percent, with about 70 percent of precincts reporting as of midnight Wednesday, according to preliminary results from the Associated Press.

If Turner is certified as the winner, it would mark the first time a Republican has won the seat in roughly a century.

But as of midnight Tuesday, Weprin had not conceded.

“There’s still a lot of votes to be counted and we’re not sure where they’re coming from,” the assemblyman said at his Election Night party in Forest Hills.

Addressing supporters at his victory party in Howard Beach, Turner said his win sent a message to Washington.

“Mr. President, we’re on the wrong track,” he said. “We have had it. We have had it with your treatment of Israel. I am telling you, I am the messenger. This message will resound for a year.”

Turner had a commanding lead in Brooklyn precincts, leading Weprin 70 percent to 30 percent, while Weprin had a four-point advantage in Queens, 52 percent to 48 percent.

In the last hours of the campaign, Weprin’s camp accused the Turner campaign of encouraging supporters to jam their phone lines at 3 a.m. Tuesday.

“It is outrageous that Bob Turner’s allies would resort to jamming our phones in an effort to prevent our campaign from contacting voters and getting out the message about how radical Bob Turner really is,” Weprin campaign spokeswoman Liz Kerr said.

Turner’s campaign called the accusation “nonsense” and said it was one of the many “shenanigans” it had had to deal with.

Turnout across the district — which includes Forest Hills, Rego Park, Fresh Meadows, Hillcrest, Kew Gardens, Kew Gardens Hills, Richmond Hill, Howard Beach, Broad Channel, Ozone Park and parts of the Rockaways — was heavy.

Hillcrest resident Ed Bridgewood, a registered Republican, said he voted for Turner.

“I’m more in accord with his ideas than with Weprin’s,” he said.

Another Turner voter said he cast his ballot for the Rockaway Republican because he agreed with Turner’s views of “less taxes, less government.”

Victoria Brown-Douglas, who voted at St. Nicholas of Tolentine, said she backed Weprin because she was a strong supporter of the president.

“I can’t even imagine what it would be like for a Tea Party candidate to win,” she said. “I’m a Democrat. I’m all about Obama and I’m all about Weprin.”

During the race, Weprin tried to paint Turner as a Tea Party candidate bent on destroying Medicare and Social Security while Turner tried to frame the election as a referendum on unpopular President Barack Obama’s policies.

Since the race began, polls showed the contest becoming increasingly competitive, with early surveys giving Weprin an eight-point lead and a Siena College poll released Friday having Turner with a six-point lead over his Democratic rival.

The race between congressional candidates David Weprin (l.) and Bob Turner has garnered national attention. Photos by Christina Santucci

Political action committees have donated to Assemblyman David Weprin’s (D-Little Neck) campaign at a rate nearly 50 times as high as his Republican rival, Bob Turner, in the race for the 9th Congressional District seat, Federal Election Commission records showed.

Weprin raised more than $291,000 from PACs while Turner received only $6,000, according to the FEC records.

The Republican Congressional Campaign Committee gave $5,000 to Turner with the New York State Conservative Party donating $1,000.

Dozens of congressman and other elected officials have donated to Weprin, including $2,000 apiece from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and U.S. Reps. Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights), Jerry Nadler (D-Manhattan) and Gary Ackerman (D-Bayside).

Weprin also heavily benefitted from contributions from unions, which accounted for a large portion of the $291,000 he raised from PACs.

Turner received $1,000 each from U.S. Reps. Michael Grimm (R-Staten Island) and Peter King (R-Massapequa Park), according to the FEC.

Weprin also had 269 individual contributors compared to Turner’s 134 individual donors.

Turner’s campaign received more than $138,000 in contributions, not including a $65,000 loan Turner gave himself, and spent more than $118,000, leaving him with more than $93,700 in cash on hand, according to the latest FEC disclosure information.

Weprin’s campaign took in more than $450,000 in contributions, spent about $250,000 and has more than $202,000 in cash on hand — more than double the amount Turner has left, according to FEC records.

Weprin and Turner were thrust into the race after U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner resigned in May amid a sexting scandal.

The 9th CD seat that they are vying for includes Forest Hills, Fresh Meadows, Oakland Gardens, Kew Gardens, Kew Gardens Hills, Howard Beach, Ozone Park and parts of the Rockaways and Brooklyn.

The race has been defined by the candidates’ stances on the federal budget, entitlement programs and Israel, although both Turner and Weprin oppose President Barack Obama’s idea that the Jewish state go back to its pre-1967 war borders as a precondition for negotiations with the Palestinians.

Weprin has attacked Turner, saying his plan to cut the federal budget by 35 percent is not feasible if Turner also wants to preserve Medicare and Social Security.

Turner is slamming Weprin for being a “career politician,” having positions that mimic the unpopular Obama and for failing to state the correct figure when asked what the federal deficit was.

Both campaigns earned critical endorsements in the race, with Turner getting the backing of former Mayor Ed Koch, King, the New York Daily News, the New York Post and the Jewish Week, while the United Federation of Teachers, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the firefighters’ union are throwing their weight behind Weprin.

Earlier in the race, a Siena College poll found Weprin leading Turner by six points, but both campaigns had surveys conducted on their behalf last week.

A poll conducted by McLaughlin & Associated and commissioned by Turner found him and Weprin in a dead heat, with both men at 46 percent.

Weprin released his own survey, done by Global Strategy Group, that showed the assemblyman with an eight-point lead over Turner.

In the final days of the campaign, the contest has taken a turn for the weird.

Weprin, a Democrat, had a borough magician named “Wendy Wizard” endorse Turner outside a Rockaway fund-raiser last week, playing off a New York Times editorial that urged voters to cast their ballot for Weprin.

In the endorsement, the Times criticized Turner, a retired businessman from Rockaway, for saying he wants to slash the federal budget while keeping Social Security and Medicare intact.

“That would take a magician, not a businessman,” The Times said.

Turner’s campaign said the Weprin camp was going off the deep end.

“The Weprin campaign is becoming increasingly bizarre. We suggest they all head back to Hogwarts and regroup,” Turner campaign spokesman Bill O’Reilly said, referring to the fictional wizard school from the Harry Potter books.

Turner’s campaign accused the Weprin camp of sending in spies that purported to be Turner volunteers while Weprin’s campaign said they had no knowledge of such incidents.

City Councilman Mark Weprin (second from r.) and Mayor Michael Bloomberg (c.) at the signing ceremony for the Workplace Religious Freedom Act. Photo courtesy mayor's office

At a ceremony last week, Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed a law authored by City Councilman Mark Weprin (D-Oakland Gardens) that strengthens the city’s human rights law with respect to religious practices in the workplace.

The Workplace Religious Freedom Act requires employers to detail the fiscal impact an employee’s religious practice would have on the company in order to justify discrimination.

“New York City defined hardship in the past as de minimis burden — basically, it’s an inconvenience. As a policy, it was pretty easy to get around,” Weprin explained.

Under the new law, employers wishing to claim undue hardship will have to identify the cost of accommodating an employee’s religious observation or practice.

“They have to show a significant cost or burden. It sets a much higher standard,” the councilman said.

Weprin said he made a commitment to the Sikh community during his 2009 Council campaign to work on legislation that would prevent public and private employers from banning beards or turbans in the workplace.

Amardeep Singh, co-founder of the Sikh Coalition, said his group had worked on similar legislation with former Councilman David Weprin in 2005 that ran into decisive opposition at City Hall.

“It’s been a long six years. This time the stars just aligned,” he said. Singh said the Sikh community and other faiths were motivated in particular by discriminatory practices by public employers such as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the NYPD.

The MTA, for example, had ?a post 9/11 policy that says Sikh employees who wish to wear their turbans to work must either adorn it with an MTA logo or are relegated to work out of the public view, Singh said.

At press time, the MTA had not responded to a request for comment.

“Public employers create the perception and send the message to private employers that this is acceptable,” he said. “They set the tone for everyone else in society.”

“The beauty of the bill is that it squarely focuses the eye on whether or not an employee can do the job or not when enjoying their religious freedoms.

An SUV belonging to a volunteer for congressional candidate Bob Turner (r. inset) sits outside the campaign office of his opponent, Assemblyman David Weprin (l. inset), who canceled a debate Monday due to logistical and scheduling problems caused by Hurricane Irene. Photo courtesy Turner campaing, insets by Christina Santucci

Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Little Neck) said Tuesday his decision to cancel his appearance at a debate that was scheduled for Monday has been “blown out of proportion” after he blamed Hurricane Irene for causing logistical and scheduling problems.

Weprin, a Democrat, is running in a Sept. 13 special election against Republican and retired Rockaway businessman Bob Turner for the seat to replace former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner.

A debate between congressional candidates Bob Turner and state Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Little Neck) set for Monday was canceled after Weprin bowed out of the forum, citing the aftermath of Hurricane Irene.

“The hurricane caused major logistical and scheduling problems for the campaign and, as a result, David is not able to make the debate,” said Weprin campaign spokeswoman Elizabeth Kerr.’

During a press briefing in Forest Hills Tuesday, Weprin said there were five other debates scheduled and pointed out that he and Turner already had participated in three debates and one forum.

“I think it is being blown out of proportion,” Weprin said.

The debate, sponsored by the Juniper Park Civic Association and the Times Newsweekly, was scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Monday in Middle Village.

Maureen Walthers, publisher and editor of the Times Newsweekly, said Weprin’s reason for backing out of the debate was a “lame excuse.

“He never wanted to do it in the first place, as far as I’m concerned. He was always putting up roadblocks. He’s going out of his way to make himself look bad,” she said. “It’s not fair for the people who live here. The people are kind of annoyed that the debate was canceled and they were willing to come out after the hurricane.”

A source close to the campaign said Weprin’s Sunday schedule was affected by the hurricane, which led to his having to cancel the Monday debate.

Walthers said Weprin did not pick up the phone himself to call the paper to cancel his appearance.

“Anyone who hides behind their staff, that’s kind of wormy to me,” she said.

Turner’s campaign went on the attack against Weprin as being in “hiding” and said it offered to drive the assemblyman to the forum if he could not make it himself.

Turner said one of his volunteers drove between Weprin’s campaign office at 72-50 Austin Street and the Bel Mondo Restaurant at 79-28 Metropolitan Ave., where the debate was to take place, and discovered that the roads were clear enough for Weprin to make it to the forum.

Turner, who lives in Breezy Point, was evacuated from his home before Irene arrived.

Bob Turner (l.) and state Assemblyman David Weprin, who are running against each other for Congress, squared off in a heated debate at the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills.

Congressional candidates David Weprin and Bob Turner had to talk over loud cheers, boos, groans and hecklers as they squared off in a debate Monday night at the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills.

When Weprin, a Democratic state assemblyman from Little Neck, claimed to the crowd that Turner, a retired television executive from the Rockaways running on the Republican line, wants to cut Social Security and Medicaid, he was met with shouts of “Liar!” and “You lie!”

Moderator Richard Hellenbrecht of the Queens Civic Congress — an organization that sponsored the forum along with TimesLedger Newspapers, the Daily News and the Queens Tribune — had to tell the audience a number of times to settle down and warned them they would be kicked out of the synagogue if they continued their behavior.

A man screamed at Weprin, calling him a “hypocrite” for voting in favor of gay marriage in the state Legislature. Weprin is an Orthodox Jew.

When Turner criticized Weprin’s suggestion that the government tax millionaires and billionaires at higher rates as “political sloganism” and impractical, a man in the crowd shouted, “You never got a job for a poor person!”

Turner drew applause during his opening statement for saying he was a political outsider.

“I’m a businessman, not a politician,” he said. “I’d like to consider myself a citizen candidate.”

Turner said he would bring a “business practicality” to Washington and President Barack Obama “is certainly not on the same page as me.

“This is the most irresponsible, ridiculous government we’ve ever seen,” he said.

Both candidates were asked what they both admired in each other and what about their opponent scared them the most.

Weprin called Turner a “good father, but I’m very scared of his Tea Party philosophy. I’m scared of the extreme views.”

Turner also said he admired Weprin’s family, joking that he tried to get Weprin’s mother, Sylvia, to vote for him.

“She wouldn’t,” Turner said before attacking Weprin as being “tainted by a long career in politics,” referring to the City Council slush fund scandal and accusing Weprin of taking political contributions from charity.

“There’s something wrong with the system and he’s part of the system and that’s why he’s got to go,” Turner said.

In his opening statement, Weprin said he was running “to make sure we preserve Medicare and Social Security. My opponent, on the other hand, would like to change Social Security and Medicare and has stated so on a number of occasions.”

Turner said that if it were up to him, he would cut federal spending by 35 percent — including gutting the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and slashing the budget of the U.S. Department of Education — which he said would take about seven to 10 years to accomplish.

“It is not only possible, it’s absolutely necessary,” he said, noting the plan would spare Medicare and Social Security from cuts.

Weprin went on the attack on Turner’s math, saying Medicare and Social Security account for 40 percent of the national budget.

“It is impossible to cut the federal budget 35 percent without cutting Medicare and Social Security,” he said.

Weprin then went on to say Turner “admires the leaders of the Tea Party movement,” which he said is in line with Turner’s views on not raising taxes on the mega-rich and multinational corporations.

“That’s unacceptable. Corporations and millionaires and billionaires deserve to pay their fair share,” Weprin said.

When asked about times they had bucked their respective parties, Weprin said he had spoken out publicly against Obama’s stance that Israel go back to its pre-1967 borders as part of the Middle East peace process and that he stood up to Council Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan) on term limits and congestion pricing.

Turner evaded the question, saying he is not beholden to a political party.

“I don’t owe no one anything,” he said. “I’m not a party loyalist and they don’t have anything that I want or need.”

The outbursts from the crowd were not limited to just Weprin and Turner.

When panelist and TimesLedger Newspapers reporter Joe Anuta asked a question about gay marriage on the federal level, some in the crowd groaned before he was finished asking it.

State Assemblywoman Grace Meng (l.-r.) and Peter Tu, executive director of the Flushing Business Association, are on hand as Assemblyman David Weprin accepts the endorsement of City Councilman Peter Koo. Photo by Connor Adams Sheets

City Councilman Peter Koo (R-Flushing) crossed party lines last Thursday to endorse state Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Little Neck) in his bid for the 9th Congressional District seat vacated by Anthony Weiner amid a scandal in June.

Koo, who has endorsed Democrats in the past, including Andrew Cuomo when he was running for governor, said he made his decision based on his assessment of the relative strengths of Weprin and his Republican opponent, Bob Turner.

“I may not always agree with David on the issues, and we may see things differently from time to time, but I believe he is a better choice for Congress in the 9th Congressional District,” Koo said at an event Aug. 18 at the headquarters of the Flushing Chinese Business Association. “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.”

Weprin thanked Koo for the endorsement and said he is committed to fighting for the people of Flushing.

“I am very honored to accept this endorsement for Congress,” Weprin said at the event. “I will do everything I can to protect Social Security and Medicare and to create jobs …. I will be there fighting each and every way for the people of Queens and Brooklyn.”

The Flushing Chinese Business Association also threw its support behind Weprin, saying he has been a committed advocate for the Asian-American and small business communities in Flushing.

“He’s a longtime friend in Flushing for the Asian community. We are very serious about working with him,” the nonprofit’s executive director, Peter Tu, said. “We respect him and this is an opportunity to welcome him.”

Koo took some heat from the Republican Party’s state leadership — his chief of staff, James McClelland, said Koo received a “flurry of calls” — after choosing to endorse Weprin despite an entreaty by Turner’s campaign to back his candidacy, but Koo said he wants to do what is best for the community.

“I always tell them if it’s the right to do for the community, then I will do it,” Koo said. “Of course, they are not happy, but this is my decision. I think David is a better, more experienced representative for our community.”

Assemblywoman Grace Meng (D-Flushing), who has endorsed Weprin, also attended the announcement.

“Assemblyman Weprin has been a consistent advocate for our community,” she said. “Bob Turner has not worked for our community. I’ve never even met him. David Weprin has been working for years, on and off camera, to help our community.”

The Uniformed Fire Officers Association and the Uniformed Firefighters Association both threw their weight behind Weprin last week as well.

Republican Jane Deacy (l.) has raised about one-third the amount of money as Democrat Philip Goldfeder in the race for the 23rd state Assembly seat previously occupied by Audrey Pheffer.

The two candidates vying for the 23rd Assembly District seat have raised vastly different amounts of money in the short period before the September special election.

Philip Goldfeder, a Democrat, has amassed more than three times the amount of campaign donations for the state seat compared to Republican Jane Deacy, according to records from the state Board of Elections.

As of Tuesday afternoon unions, businesses, other politicians and individuals all contributed to Goldfeder’s total donations of $163,685. He spent $49,839.97, which left him with $113,845.03 cash on hand.

Similar donor groups contributed to Deacy’s total contributions of $53,325. She had spent $19,412.48, according to the board, which left her with $33,912.52 as of Tuesday afternoon.

The majority of Deacy’s donors were from Queens, while most of Goldfeder’s were from Brooklyn, which is outside of the district.

“I’m proud to have supporters all over the city and have supporters in the district,” Goldfeder said in a telephone interview.

That money pales in comparison to other campaign war chests, which run into the millions. But the amount of money the candidates could have raised was limited by the short run-up to the special election Sept. 13.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the special election July 1. That left two months for the Republican and Democratic parties to officially give the nod to Deacy and Goldfeder, and for the candidates to raise money and campaign.

That short campaign period means money is extremely important, according to Evan Stavisky, a political consultant for Parkside Group, a Manhattan-based political consulting company that is currently working on the campaign for Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Little Neck).?

“The old adage that ‘money is the mother’s milk of all politics’ is even more true in special elections,” he said.

Because of the short time period for campaigning, each moment spent raising funds is a moment lost talking to voters, Stavisky said.

Much of the money will likely be spent on direct mailings, which are the most effective form of communication, according to Stavisky, since other modes of communication like television are far too expensive.

But according to other political sources, the discrepancy in funding will not prove to be a large handicap for Deacy.

Both candidates are expected to make heavy use of direct mailings, and Deacy should still be able to send out a significant amount.

Goldfeder said he is focusing on getting out into the community and meeting potential constituents in person.

“A short campaign definitely presents a challenge,” he said. “Money doesn’t win the election. It’s the ability to talk to as many voters as possible.”

Michael Coppotelli, campaign manager for Deacy, also said that talking to voters is the most important way for her to get the word out.

“It’s the message that counts,” he said. “Every day — morning, noon and night — her schedule is full from the moment she wakes up until the moment she lays her head on the pillow.”

But even day-to-day operations on the campaign trail are not cheap, Stavisky said.

“You have a vision for why you are the best person for office and you need to talk to 100,000 people about it,” he said. “It is an expensive undertaking.”

The candidates also need to pay staff and buy literature, posters and other means of communicating their messages to the public, Stavisky said.