Democrats and Weprin Outspent Turner to Replace Weiner

NY Times ^ | October 13, 2011 | THOMAS KAPLAN

[neverdem]

Democrats poured $1.5 million into their failed attempt to retain the Congressional seat last held by Anthony D. Weiner, vastly outspending the Republican candidate, Bob Turner, who ultimately prevailed in New York’s Ninth District.

The Democratic candidate, Assemblyman David I. Weprin, spent $859,000 on the race, according to a campaign finance filing on Thursday. National groups chipped in more than $675,000, mostly to pay for television advertising in an effort to salvage Mr. Weprin’s flagging campaign in the final days before the Sept. 13 special election.

That amounted to more than double the spending by Mr. Turner, a retired cable television executive, and outside groups that backed him in the race. Mr. Turner spent $464,000, according to a campaign finance filing on Thursday, and national groups funneled more than $100,000 into the contest on his behalf.

The spending gap is not a surprise: several weeks before the election, Mr. Weprin had raised more than twice what Mr. Turner had received. He benefited from the fund-raising muscle of the Democratic Party in Queens and Brooklyn, parts of which make up the Ninth District, an area that has long elected Democrats.

But the wide gulf in expenditures, as evidenced by the new campaign finance filings, offer a painful reminder to Democrats of the significant resources that were consumed by a race that at first was not expected to be competitive. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spent more than $500,000 to support Mr. Weprin, and the House Majority PAC, a group seeking to put Democrats back in control of the House, spent more than $160,000.

With his victory, Mr. Turner, who framed his candidacy as a means for voters to express their frustration with President Obama and his handling of the economy and the Middle East peace process, became an immediate national hero...

[neverdem]

"A version of this article appeared in print on October 14, 2011, on page A26 of the New York edition with the headline: Democrats Had Big Lead In Spending, If Not at Polls."

So the NY Times buries this story, a race where the rats had a 3:1 advantage in registered voters and almost a 3:1 advantage in spending, and the rats still lost by 5 percent. Money in politics doesn't have that much bang for the bucks anymore, IMHO.

[Mr. K]

And let’s be clear about this

Our guy won DESPITE the lame-a$$ NY GOP

[FlipWilson]

Wait a minute, wait a damn minute!!! Turner, the Tea Party guy was outspent 3:1 and still won. But but I thought the Tea Party was dead!?!? I am so confused.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks neverdem.

Democrats poured $1.5 million into their failed attempt to retain the Congressional seat last held by Anthony D. Weiner, vastly outspending... Bob Turner, who ultimately prevailed in New York’s Ninth District... Weprin, spent $859,000... National groups chipped in more than $675,000...

This was in a district that always vote for the Demwit.