- David Weprin
-
David I. Weprin 
Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 24th districtIncumbent Assumed office
February 9, 2010Preceded by Mark Weprin Personal details Born May 2, 1956 [1]
Queens, New YorkPolitical party Democratic Spouse(s) Ronni Residence Holliswood, Queens Alma mater SUNY Albany
Hofstra Law SchoolProfession Lawyer, Politician Religion Orthodox Judaism Website Official website David I. Weprin (born May 2, 1956) is a Democratic member of the New York State Assembly, representing District 24 in Queens since 2010. He was previously a member of the New York City Council, representing district 23. He is also the former Deputy Superintendent of the New York State Banking Commission and former Chairman of New York's Securities Industry Association.[1]
On September 13, 2011, Weprin lost the special election to the US House of Representatives in New York's heavily Democratic 9th congressional district to Republican Bob Turner. Weprin's losing to Turner is attributed to the national economy, President Barack Obama's lack of popularity in the district, and other local factors, with Israel as an additional issue.[2]
Contents
Early life and education
Weprin comes from a Jewish family of Democratic politicians.[3] His father was New York State Assembly Speaker Saul Weprin, his younger brother is the former New York State Assemblyman and current New York City Councilman Mark Weprin. Born in Queens on May 2, 1953, Weprin has lived in the Hollis-Jamaica area of Queens his entire life. He is a graduate of Jamaica High School. He received a cum laude bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University at Albany, SUNY, and a law degree from Hofstra University School of Law.[4]
Career
In 1983, then Governor Mario Cuomo named Weprin the Deputy Superintendent of Banks and Secretary of the Banking Board for New York State, a position responsible for regulating more than 3,000 financial institutions and financial service firms in New York State.[1]
After leaving the Banking Board, Weprin held a variety of leadership positions at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette; Kidder Peabody; Paine Webber, Inc. and Advest, Inc. While in the private sector, he was elected to serve as Chairman of the Securities Industry Association for the New York District for three years.[1]
In 2001, Weprin was elected to the New York City Council, where he served until 2009. Shortly after taking office, he was selected as Chairman of the Council’s Finance Committee. During his time as a Council Member, Weprin led the charge in the Council against Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan, which he characterized as “an unfair tax” with “the potential for causing hardship to people who rely on their cars in boroughs other than Manhattan”.[5]
In 2009, Weprin retired from the City Council to run for New York City Comptroller.[6] He finished last in the Democratic primary, behind Melinda Katz, David Yassky and the eventual nominee and winner of the general election, John Liu.[7]
On February 9, 2010, Weprin won a special election to represent New York State Assembly's District 24.[8] He won the general election the following November with 67 percent of the vote.[9]
- Special election 2011
Weprin was selected by the local leaders of the Democratic Party to run for the New York's 9th congressional district special election to the House of Representatives held on September 13, 2011, to replace Democrat Anthony Weiner, who had resigned in June 2011 following a sexting scandal.[10] The district in which registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by three to one may be eliminated in the 2012 redistricting,[11] and Weprin, who lives a few blocks outside of the district, was chosen largely because he promised not to challenge another incumbent in 2012, should his seat be eliminated.[10] The seat was initially considered safe for Democrats,[12] but Weprin lost against Republican opponent Bob Turner, a retired cable television executive, with 47 percent against Turner's 53 percent,[13] after a campaign plagued by gaffes.[14]
Turner, a Roman Catholic, was appealing to Jewish voters, who make up for about a third of the voters in the district,[15] by criticizing President Obama’s policies on Israel, and portraying Weprin, who is strongly pro-Israel, as being insufficiently critical of Obama’s stance on Israel.[14] Former New York mayor Ed Koch, a Democrat and Jew, supported Turner in order to send a message to President Obama to change what Koch describes as “hostile position on the State of Israel”.[16] Turner was also supported by Assemblyman Dov Hikind, a Democrat and an orthodox Jew, and local rabbis,[2] who objected to Weprin's support for same-sex marriage.[17]
Political views
Weprin is a strong supporter of social security and is in favor of raising taxes on millionaires.[14] Though an Orthodox Jew, he supported legalizing same-sex marriage, for which he has been criticized by Orthodox Jews.[18] In the debate about the Park51 Islamic community center near Ground Zero, Weprin has defended the “right of the mosque to build on that site”, but expressed his wish that the center be built at a different location.[14]
Election results
- February 2010 special election, NYS Assembly, 24th AD[19]
- November 2010 general election, NYS Assembly, 24th AD[20]
- 2011 special election in New York's 9th congressional district to the House of Representatives (472/512 precincts reporting)[13]
Personal life
Weprin divorced his first wife in 1986,[21] and lives with his second wife, Ronni Gold, and five children in Holliswood, Queens.[14]
References
- ^ a b c d "David I. Weprin: Biography". New York State Assembly. http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=024&sh=bio. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
- ^ a b Silver, Nate (14 September 2011). "For Democrats, It’s 2010 All Over Again". New York Times. http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/14/for-democrats-its-2010-all-over-again/. Retrieved 14 September 2011.
- ^ Forward Staff (July 7, 2011). "Weprin Picked By Democrats To Run for Weiner's Seat". The Jewish Daily Forward. http://www.forward.com/articles/139575/.
- ^ "Assembly Member David I. Weprin (NY)". Project Vote Smart. http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=80379. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
- ^ Neuman, William (24 November 2006). "Bigger Push for Charging Drivers Who Use the Busiest Streets". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/24/nyregion/24traffic.html?pagewanted=2. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
- ^ Fahim, Kareem (10 September 2009). "Councilman Attacks Rivals in Final Primary Debate for Comptroller". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/nyregion/11comptroller.html.
- ^ Stirling, Stephen (17 September 2009). "Liu, Yassky head for comptroller runoff". Your Nabe.com. http://www.yournabe.com/articles/2009/09/17/queens_village_times/news/queens_village_times_newshzmhfwa09162009.txt. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
- ^ "Weprin Wins Special Election In Queens". NY1 News. 9 February 2010. http://www.ny1.com/8-queens-news-content/top_stories/113400/weprin-wins-special-election-in-queens. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
- ^ "Election Results 2010: New York State Legislature". New York Times. 2010. http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/results/new-york/state-legislature. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
- ^ a b Chen, David W. (7 July 2011). "Democrats Pick David Weprin, an Assemblyman, to Run for Weiner’s Seat". New York Times. http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/07/david-weprin-chosen-by-democrats-to-run-for-weiners-seat/. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
- ^ Rubinstein, Dana (6 September 2011). "Welcome to NY-9, and an awkward special election for a endangered congressional seat". Capital. http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/culture/2011/09/3249568/welcome-ny-9-and-awkward-special-election-endangered-congressional-s. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
- ^ Weiner, Rachel (13 September 2011). "Republican Bob Turner wins New York special election". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/republican-bob-turner-wins-new-york-special-election/2011/09/13/gIQAPL72QK_blog.html. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
- ^ a b "New York - County Vote Results: U.S. House - District 9 - Special General". AP. September 15, 2011 - 04:39PM ET. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/elections/2011/by_county/NY_US_House_0913.html?SITE=AP&SECTION=POLITICS.
- ^ a b c d e Bilefsky, Dan (8 September 2011). "A Scion of Queens Democrats Vies for a House Seat". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/09/nyregion/profile-of-david-i-weprin-unflashy-scion-of-queens-democrats-running-for-congress.html. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
- ^ "Republican Bob Turner wins Weiner’s former seat". JTA. 14 September 2011. http://www.jta.org/news/article/2011/09/13/3089377/republican-wins-weiners-former-seat. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
Rubinstein, Dana (7 September 2011). "Turner targets conservative-leaning Jews of the Ninth, but just how conservative-leaning are they?". Capital. http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/culture/2011/09/3264144/turner-targets-conservative-leaning-jews-ninth-just-how-conservative. Retrieved 19 September 2011. - ^ Landler, Mark (14 September 2011). "Seeing Ripple in Jewish Vote". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/15/us/politics/obama-israel-policies-may-cost-democrats-votes.html.
Taylor, Kate (15 September 2011). "Koch May Test His Political Voice on National Stage". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/16/nyregion/koch-may-oppose-obamas-israel-stance-on-national-stage.html. Retrieved 19 September 2011. - ^ Campanile, Carl (23 August 2011). "Hikind: I'll nix Weprin over nups". New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/hikind_ll_nix_weprin_over_nups_hhouQIagJwAFFu9QyiK1kN.
Dickter, Adam; and JTA (9 September 2011). "Rabbis: Vote For Weprin Prohibited". The Jewish Week. http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/breaking_news/rabbis_vote_weprin_prohibited. Retrieved 19 September 2011. - ^ Associated Press (9 September 2011). "Republicans look for upset in NY special election". Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/AP93722bfc566b495ea1301dbe84901d96.html. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
- ^ "Special Election Results, 24th Assembly District: February 9, 2010" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. 23 March 2010. http://www.elections.state.ny.us/NYSBOE/Elections/2010/Special/24thADResults.pdf.
- ^ "General Election Results, State Assembly: November 2, 2010" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. 13 December 2010. http://www.elections.state.ny.us/NYSBOE/elections/2010/general/2010Assembly.pdf.
- ^ Smith, Ben (11 September 2011). "In leaked custody filing, 'heedless' Weprin; 'dirty politics' alleged". Politico. http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0911/In_leaked_custody_filing_heedless_Weprin_dirty_politics_alleged.html. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
External links
- New York State Assembly Member Website
- David Weprin for US Congress official campaign site
- PoliGu Writeup
- Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
- Campaign contributions at the National Institute for Money in State Politics
- Collected news and commentary at The New York Times
- Collected news and commentary at the New York Daily News
Political offices Preceded by
Sheldon LefflerNew York City Council, 23rd District
2002–2009Succeeded by
Mark WeprinNew York Assembly Preceded by
Mark WeprinNew York State Assembly, 24th District
2010–presentIncumbent Categories:- Living people
- 1956 births
- New York City Council members
- Members of the New York State Assembly
- New York Democrats
- Jewish American politicians
- Hofstra University School of Law alumni
- University at Albany, SUNY alumni
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