By Howard Koplowitz
Former Mayor Ed Koch bucked against his own party in endorsing Republican Bob Turner instead of state Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Little Neck) to replace former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner in September’s special election, saying he wanted to “send a message” to President Barack Obama that voters in the district disapprove of his policy on Israel.
“I disagree with [Obama] on the way he views the state of Israel,” Koch said Monday at Turner’s Howard Beach campaign office. “I want to send a message that’s not the vision that New Yorkers and Jewish [and] Christian supporters of Israel want.”
Koch, 87, was referring to Obama’s condition that Israel agree to go back to its pre-1967 war borders as part of negotiations with the Palestinians.
Weprin also disagrees with Obama on that issue, but the former mayor said sending a Republican to Congress will have more of an effect that voters do not agree with the president’s policies.
“There’s no question that David Weprin is a major supporter of the state of Israel. If David Weprin is elected, you think that sends a message? You think Barack Obama is going to say, ‘Oh, my God! David Weprin was elected. They’re repudiating me,’” Koch said. “It’s my expectation that the voters of the 9th C.D. … will use [the special election] to send a message to both [the] Democratic Party and to the Republican Party and its leadership,” Koch said. “And that’s why I’m supporting Bob Turner.”
Although Koch referred to himself as a “dedicated Democrat,” it is not unusual for him to endorse a Republican.
Koch previously supported former President George W. Bush for a second term and backed former Republican Mayors John Lindsay and Rudy Giuliani.
He said choosing not to back Weprin was “very painful.
“I like him. I’ve supported him on a number of occasions. I know that David is never going to forgive me, but I’m sorry,” he said. “Sometimes an issue is more important than a candidate and more important than me.”
Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at hkoplowitz@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4573.
