Assemblyman David Weprin: Democrats' Pick for Anthony Weiner's Seat

Queens Democratic leaders on Thursday announced their nomination of State Assemblyman David I. Weprin to fill Anthony D. Weiner's position.

The special election to replace Weiner's Ninth Congressional District, which includes parts of Brooklyn and Queens, will be held on September 13. The winner of the special election will serve the remaining time of Weiner's two-year term. Officials have said it is highly possible that the seat may not exist after next year's redistricting, since New York state must lose two seats. If Weprin wins the special election, he could be out of a job at the end of next year. Weprin, 55, is heavily favored to win in the district, according to the Associated Press.

Born in a prominent Queens political family, Weiner has lived in the Hollis-Jamaica area of Queens his entire life. His political career began when Governor Mario Cuomo named him the Deputy Superintendent of Banks and Secretary of the Banking Board for New York State in 1983.Weprin then held multiple leadership positions in the private sector.

In 2001, Weprin began his eight-year service at the New York City Council. During his time as a Council Member, Weprin led the charge in the Council against the Mayor's congestion pricing plan, which he described as a tax which would unfairly affect poorer people who work in Manhattan but live outside the borough. In 2009, he retired from the City Council and ran unsuccessfully for city comptroller.

Weprin was elected to the State Assembly's District 24 in 2010.

Weprin is scheduled to meet with Democratic leaders Thursday night and will be formally nominated on Friday, said AP.

Republicans have yet to select a nominee, but Brooklyn Republican Party chairman Craig Eaton said Wednesday that Bob Turner, who unsuccessfully attempted to unseat Weiner in 2010, is the frontrunner for the Republican nomination, reports the Wall Street Journal.

On June 16th, Weiner resigned under pressure for sending lewd photos of himself to women online, bringing to end a nearly 3 week controversy.

Until the outbreak of the scandal, Weiner was touted as the next mayor of New York. Political pundits are still not ready to write him off. He himself called his fall from grace as a distraction at his press conference. A recent poll of voters in his district, after the scandal, has shown that he is polling even better than he did in the last election.