[UPDATE: I have written a diary covering these and other races, focusing on key endorsements people might be interested in.Click here to see it, then GO TO THE POLLS]
Today there is a special election in NYC to fill Anthony Weiner's seat. The results are a tossup right now. The race is between David Weprin, a decent moderate Democrat, and Turner, a right wing extremist teabagger. Right now it is a tossup whether we will add yet another Teabagger in Congress or keep the seat Dem.
I met David Weprin when I was supporting his opponent for NYC Comptroller, John Liu. Even though I was supporting one of his opponents, I still was impressed with Weprin and he was my second choice (in a four way race). What struck me most about Weprin was his ability to separate his personal beliefs as an Orthodox Jew from his role representing NYC. He is pro-choice and pro-marriage equality. His opponent is anti-gay and anti-choice. It is imperative we keep the NY-9 Congressional seat pro-choice and pro-marriage equality. And all we have is today to do it.
Will you help? A plea below from Lambda Independent Democrats and from Firefighters, Nurses and Police Unions...
One of the organizations pushing hardest in today's elections is Lambda Independent Democrats, one of the local reform Democratic clubs that also is one of the city's most active LGBT political clubs. Here is their urgent request:
David Weprin needs our help. The polls are close, and the stakes are high. We need you to volunteer today...to make sure David Weprin wins the House seat vacated by Anthony Weiner. David Weprin has been an outspoken supporter of the LGBT community for many years, and he has consistently voted to support marriage equality as an Assemblyman. His opponent has used David's marriage votes against him throughout this campaign. The stakes in this race are high for the LGBT community and for middle-class families in Brooklyn. If Republican Bob Turner wins, the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), which has donated $75,000 to Turner, will declare it a victory for opponents of marriage equality. Moreover, a Weprin loss in this heavily Democratic district will embolden Tea Party Republicans in Congress to pursue their reckless and radical economic agenda. Both outcomes would be practically and symbolically devastating to our community and to Brooklyn families.
Please volunteer your free time today...to help David Weprin win this race. Volunteers are needed for Get Out the Vote efforts. To volunteer, please contact Brian Linder at Brian.A.Linder@gmail.com or (516) 205-2531.
To make a contribution, click here.
To make phonecalls from your own phone, click here.
David stood with us. Now, we must stand with him.
Yours truly,
Matthew McMorrow & Tom Burrows
Co-Presidents
VOTE...SEPTEMBER 13th.
Click here to find your polling location!
David Weprin has also been endorsed by the Firefighters, Police and Nurse unions.
From two Firefighters Unions:
Firefighters, Officers Endorse David Weprin
for Congress
Today, at “The Enchanted Cottage,” Engine 305 in Forest Hills, New York, David
Weprin, Democratic Candidate for Congress in New York’s Ninth Congressional
District, received the endorsement of the the Uniformed Fire Officers Association
(UFOA) and United Firefighters Association (UFA).
"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,”
said UFOA President Al Hagan. “At every opportunity, David Weprin has stood up
for firefighters--by supporting working men and women at every turn and fighting
to protect the homeland security funding that ensures we can do our jobs safely
and effectively. He will fight against efforts in Washington to cut the Medicare and Social Security programs so many of our retired members rely on, and we
enthusiastically endorse David Weprin for the United States Congress."
Click here for a photo from the event.
"The UFA is proud to endorse David Weprin for Congress. As City Council
Finance Chair, David Weprin fought efforts to shutter FDNY companies that keep
our communities safe and secure. He understands the dangerous and difficult
job of firefighters, and we are confident he will do everything in his power when in Congress to see that the FDNY has needed funding and resources to protect New Yorkers," Jim Slevin, Vice President and Legislative Chair of the Uniformed Firefighters Association, said. "David Weprin is a leader who will protect the benefits firefighters and first responders have earned over a lifetime of hard work. He'll fight the Republican efforts to cut Medicare and Social Security and will stand up for the working families who call Queens and Brooklyn home. That's why I join the UFOA and UFA in my proud support of David Weprin for Congress," said Congressman Joe Crowley.
"We need a strong partner in Congress like David Weprin who will stand with us
to keep firehouses open and ensure first responders have the resources they
need to protect us. Working men and women throughout New York can count on
David Weprin to protect their rights and fight against any cuts to the vital Social Security and Medicare programs they have paid into throughout their entire
careers," said City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley, Chair of the New York City
Council Fire and Criminal Justice Committee.
New York City has one of the largest fire departments in the world, with over
11,000 firefighters and over 3,300 EMTs and paramedics.
“I am honored to receive the support of the UFA and the UFOA. Each and every
day, New York’s Bravest make untold sacrifices to keep our city safe,” said
Weprin. “At a time when the financial security of millions of Americans is in
jeopardy, it is critical that those who have sacrificed so much for us – our
firefighters and first responders – know that Social Security and Medicare will be
there for them. In Congress, I will fight to make sure that no first responder, nor their families, have to worry whether the benefits they’ve earned over a lifetime will be there when they need them.”
From the Teacher's Union:
Teachers Endorse David Weprin for Congress
Weprin supports middle class families compared to Turner who wants to end
Medicare and eliminate Department of Education
QUEENS, NY – Today in front of PS 64 Elementary School in Ozone Park, David
Weprin, Democratic Candidate for Congress in New York’s Ninth
Congressional District, received the endorsement of the United Federation of
Teachers (UFT), the organization that represents New York City public school
teachers. The UFT endorsed Weprin because he is the only candidate in the
race they can trust to protect Medicare and Social Security and because Bob
Turner wants to eliminate the Department of Education.
"In these times of fiscal uncertainty and growing income inequality, New
Yorkers need a strong Democratic voice in Washington to help put his
country back on the right track,” UFT President Michael Mulgrew said. “David
Weprin will fight for the national policies New Yorkers need to solve the
problems of our economy, and to keep the promises of Social Security and
Medicare."
While David Weprin has fought to protect education and seniors, radical Bob
Turner supports a reckless budget plan that would end Medicare and Social
Security as we know it and eliminate the federal Department of Education.
Bob Turner proposes cutting the federal budget by one-third and refused to
close tax loopholes for Big Oil or companies that ship jobs overseas. Under
his plan, it is impossible to protect the Medicare, Social Security, and
education programs middle class families depend on.
“We can make no better investment in the nation’s future than to support the
teachers who instruct our children,” said Weprin. “I am proud to receive the
endorsement of the UFT, and I look forward to working with them in
Congress to protect Social Security and Medicare for the thousands of New
York Educators who depend on those programs and to ensure our schools
have the resources and support they need to prepare our young people to
take on the challenges of the changing global economy.”
The United Federation of Teachers represents approximately 200,000 local
members. The UFT’s endorsement of Weprin is the latest in a growing list of
endorsements that includes Senators Chuck Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand, and
Joe Lieberman, New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, Congressman Joe
Crowley, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, New York City Comptroller John
Liu, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, the Uniformed Fire Officers
Association, Uniformed Firefighters Association, the New York City
Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, the United Food and Commercial
Workers, and a host of other elected officials and organizations.
From the Police Uniom:
Police Endorse Weprin for Congress
Cite 9/11 Health Care bill, Preserving Medicare as key to
support
QUEENS, NY – David Weprin, Candidate for Congress in New York’s Ninth
Congressional District, today announced the endorsement of the Patrolmen’s
Benevolent Association (PBA). The PBA represents over 24,000 police officers in
New York City and an additional 30,000 police retirees. The organization cited
Weprin’s unwavering support for the 9/11 Zadroga Health Care Act and his
commitment to protecting Medicare and Social Security as the main factors for
their endorsement.
“David Weprin has a wealth of experience in local and state government that will
serve his constituents well in Washington. His support of law enforcement and
middle class families is well documented during his tenure in the NYC Council,
the State Assembly and as the Deputy Superintendent of Banks in New York
State,” PBA president Patrick J. Lynch said. “We know we can trust David
Weprin to fight to protect the Medicare and Social Security benefits
working families rely on, and his background in finance and his service as
the chairman of the City Council’s Finance Committee will be of great value
during these difficult financial times. David has been an effective and honest
public servant who will represent us well in Congress. The New York City
Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association is proud to endorse David Weprin, a
true friend of law enforcement, for the United States Congress.”
David Weprin will be a strong advocate for the rights of police officers and all
middle class workers in Congress. He supports providing health benefits to all
9/11 first responders and the Employee Free Choice Act and opposes any and all
cuts to Social Security and Medicare. In contrast, his opponent Bob Turner does
not support health care benefits for 9/11 volunteers and supports a budget plan
that would decimate Medicare and Social Security.
“I am honored to receive the endorsement of New York City’s Finest, who put
their lives on the line everyday to protect us,” said Weprin. “In Congress, I will
fight to protect Medicare and Social Security benefits to ensure a stable
retirement for New York police officers and all middle class families, and I will
work to ensure they have the resources they need to protect us.”
Stand with our Firefighters, Teachers and Cops for David Weprin for Congress against the Billionaire Koch Brothers Teabagger candidate Turner. Vote David Weprin for Congress on Sept. 13th.
And once more from Lambda Independent Democrats:
Please volunteer your free time today and tomorrow to help David Weprin win this race. Volunteers are needed for Get Out the Vote efforts. To volunteer, please contact Brian Linder at Brian.A.Linder@gmail.com or (516) 205-2531.
To make a contribution, click here.
To make phonecalls from your own phone, click here.
ALSO ENDORSED BY LAMBDA INDEPENDENT DEMOCRATS:
Cheryl Gonzales for Countywide Civil Court Judge (Kings County)
Judge Gonzales is currently a Housing Court judge who is widely respected by her peers. On the first day of marriage equality, she volunteered to preside over the civil weddings of dozens of same-gender couples in Brooklyn. Judge Gonzales has a deep knowledge of the law and brings a human touch to her courtroom. She was also endorsed recently by The New York Times.
Jesus Gonzalez for State Assembly, 54th Assembly District
LID is proud to support Jesus Gonzalez, who is running on the Working Families Party line. The Democrat in this race is both anti-choice and anti-marriage equality. Jesus Gonzalez, on the other hand, is a fresh new voice with a progressive vision for his district. He has been endorsed by New Kings Democrats, Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, District Leader Lincoln Restler and many other progressive leaders and groups.