Democratic Candidate Steers Clear of Obama Endorsement in Weiner Race

NEW YORK – The Democratic candidate seeking to fill the congressional seat vacated by ex-Rep Anthony Weiner is trying to hide unpopular President Barack Obama from the voters in this month's special election, the New York Post reported Thursday.

In new literature distributed to voters in the Queens-Brooklyn district, David Weprin is trumpeting endorsements by fellow Democrats from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz -- but Obama is MIA.

A State Democratic Committee mailer lists endorsements of Weprin by Cuomo, Markowitz, Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, City Comptroller John Liu, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and Queens Borough President Helen Marshall.

Obama -- the titular head of the Democratic Party -- is nowhere to be found.

The Weprin campaign sought to downplay the candidate's decision to distance himself from Obama.

Weprin spokeswoman Elizabeth Kerr wouldn't say whether the candidate has sought or will seek Obama's endorsement, but said Weprin supports Obama.

"I think the president is a little busy," she said.

But with Obama's popularity in the Ninth Congressional District in Queens and Brooklyn sagging, Republican challenger Bob Turner is trying to make Obama the issue in the Sept. 13 special election.

To read more on this story, see the New York post article here.