Cox's intervention seen key to Turner win

State Republican chairman Edward Cox's intervention two months ago proved key to the candidacy of Rep. Bob Turner, whose win Tuesday in the largely Democratic 9th Congressional District drew national notice, party sources say.

In contrast to last year's bitter divisions over state candidates, Cox reinforced state Conservative chairman Michael Long's support for Turner -- a summer neighbor of Long's in Breezy Point, Queens -- who'd already run for the seat in November against Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner.

Cox -- expected to win a second term as chairman -- helped the cause in July by encouraging Queens Republican chairman Phil Ragusa, with sole power to designate a special-election candidate, to back Turner. Ragusa had suspected this could empower his intraparty detractors.

"Ed Cox came in, recognizing that the long-standing infighting in the Queens Republican Party could jeopardize the selection of Turner as a candidate, and took steps to avoid that," said a borough Republican.

Ragusa's choice of Turner, 70, effectively denied Democratic candidate David Weprin an edge enjoyed by Democratic Rep. Kathy Hochul last May in her special-election upset in the 26th Congressional District in western New York -- a third candidate who could siphon GOP votes.

Long was expected to back Turner regardless. Long said of Cox at the state party's fundraising dinner in Manhattan on Wednesday: "This year we're on the same page. In this race we were, clearly."

Rep. Joseph Crowley, the Queens Democratic chairman, might find it more difficult in the upcoming redistricting to now get himself an all-Queens district, Long predicted. Crowley currently represents part of the Bronx, but has publicly denied any dissatisfaction with his two-borough seat. Also, despite grumbling about his choice of Weprin and other candidates -- Crowley helped make the since-disgraced Hiram Monserrate a state senator -- no immediate threat to his clout is apparent.

And, state Assemb. Weprin's defeat puts a home-state loss on the record of Rep. Steve Israel (D-Dix Hills), who chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

While some residents of the Queens-Brooklyn 9th District crossed over to elect Turner, many others shunned the battle. New York City-based political consultant Jerry Skurnik notes that Turner drew 43,129 votes last year against Weiner; Tuesday's initial count showed Turner won with only 33,816 against Weprin.

Guests at the GOP dinner also cited Turner consultant William O'Reilly's skillful expansion on ex-Mayor Ed Koch's "send-Obama-a-message-on-Israel" theme to target the president's overall performance.

But Assemb. Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn), a Turner backer, noted another element as he accepted a stream of thanks and kudos just outside the dinner room at the Sheraton New York.

In June, Weprin spoke in favor of gay marriage on the Assembly floor -- citing his own status as an Orthodox Jew. "Basically, he was saying, 'It's OK,' " Hikind said. Only after Weiner resigned and Weprin ran, "this began to circulate . . . This became one of the most powerful issues with rabbis, with leaders in the Orthodox communities -- where stories appeared that rabbis basically banned voting for David Weprin. They didn't even say, 'Vote for the other guy.' "

"I'm not saying it was the only piece," Hikind concluded, "but that became the rallying cry."