Voters in New York City’s 9th Congressional District elected Republican Bob Turner, a retired cable television executive from Queens, to the House seat vacated by disgraced Democrat Anthony Weiner in June. The district had been firmly under Democratic control since 1920.

Republicans and others see the election as a bad omen for President Obama and the Democratic Party. Some Democrats confessed to voting for Turner to signal their disapproval of Obama’s performance in the White House. –ARK

The New York Times:

The unexpectedly tight race stirred anxiety among Democrats already worried about elections next year for president, the House and the Senate. The Turner campaign had eagerly courted disenchanted Democrats, and outside polling places around the district on Tuesday, multiple longtime Democrats confessed that despite concern about Mr. Turner’s eagerness to slash federal spending, they chose him hoping that his election would get lawmakers’ attention.

“I am a registered Democrat, I have always been a registered Democrat, I come from a family of Democrats — and I hate to say this, I voted Republican,” said Linda Goldberg, 61, after casting her ballot in Queens. “I need to send a message to the president that he’s not doing a very good job. Our economy is horrible. People are scared.”

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