GOP's Ulrich Has a Shot in Special Vote to Replace Weiner

[Geee]

Human Events:


As disgraced Rep. Anthony Weiner, once a major player in New York City politics and a prominent Democratic Party attack dog, enters the X-rated dustbin of history, the question of who will replace him in the state's ninth congressional district now takes center stage.

Normally, the only question regarding Gotham congressional races is how left-wing the Democratic victor will be. In anything now regarding Anthony Weiner, the circumstances are hardly normal.

On its surface, NY9 is bedrock Democrat. A Republican has not represented any portion of it in decades—and Weiner's predecessor was none other than his mentor, Sen. Chuck Schumer.

But NY9 possesses certain oddities. For an urban district, its population is decidedly non-diverse: 71% of its voters are white. Only a miniscule 4% are African-American. In recent presidential elections, the Republican vote has not only held steady, it has trended upward, from 30% in 2000 to 44% in both 2004 and 2008. More significantly, compared with the national GOP vote percentage, it has soared from a deficit of -18% to -7% to just -2%. And in 2010, Anthony Weiner's unknown, 70-year-old Republican oppponent, Bob Turner, polled a respectable, and actually startling, 40%.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo may call for a a special election, most logically to occur on primary day, Sept. 13. Or, state law might kick in, and the "special" election could occur alongside November's general election. The earlier day might favor any Democratic aspirant. Names floated from the Democratic side include two former City Council members Eric Gioia and Melinda Katz, state Assemblyman Rory Lancman, Queens City Councilman Mark Weprin and Queens Assemblyman David Weprin. The Weprins are sons of former New York State Assembly Speaker Saul Weprin.