Special Election To Replace Weiner Set For Sept. 13

By Jessica Taylor  //  July 1, 2011 | 12:53 p.m.
Updated: July 1, 2011 | 1:17 p.m.

The special election to replace former Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., will be held on September 13, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D-N.Y., announced Friday.

Under pressure from party leaders, Weiner resigned his 9th District seat last month after an unraveling scandal that revealed he had sent lewd photos to several women via Twitter and Facebook.

Under state law, there won't be a primary to pick the Democratic and Republican nominees. Instead, local party leaders will each vote on their choice to be on the ballot. The special congressional election will also occur the same day another in Nevada's 2nd District.

Several Democratic names have been mentioned as possible successors, although neighboring Rep. Joseph Crowley, D-N.Y., who also serves as the Queens party chair, is widely seen as the kingmaker in the process. Potential candidates include former City Councilmembers Eric Gioia and Melinda Katz, City CouncimembersElizabeth Crowley and Mark Weprin, Assemblymen Rory Lancman and David Weprin, state Sen. Jose Peralta and former Rep. Elizabeth Holtzman.

On the GOP side, New York City Councilman Eric Ulrich and 2010 nominee Bob Turner have both met with the National Republican Congressional Committee to discuss campaigns.

But whoever does win could end up having a very short tenure. Albany lawmakers need to eliminate one New York City-area seat in redistricting, and thanks to Weiner's scandal and subsequent resignation, his Brooklyn and Queens-area seat has become the most likely target to draw out. Democrats are favored to hold onto the seat, although New York has had a history of surprising political twists when it comes to special elections lately. The district has a Democratic lean and Weiner had won reelection comfortably, but it has trended more Republican lately. In 2000, Vice President Al Gore took 67 percent here, but in 2004, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., won just 56 percent--an 11-point plunge. Obama got 55 percent of the vote in 2008.

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