Result awaited in Weiner NY poll

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14 September 2011 Last updated at 04:33 GMT Republican candidate Bob Turner was formerly a media executive and has never held political office Republicans have won a key New York City election billed as a referendum on President Obama's economic policies.

Retired media executive Bob Turner defeated Democratic state assemblyman David Weprin to succeed Democratic Congressman Anthony Weiner.

Mr Weiner, who served in the House for seven terms, resigned in June after a sex texting scandal.

Mr Turner becomes the first Republican to take office in New York's ninth district since the 1920s.

Backed by former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani, he had called the vote a "referendum" on President Obama.

Addressing jubilant supporters after his win, Mr Turner said people had voted against the president's "irresponsible" fiscal policy.

He said the result sent a "loud and clear" message to Washington.

Registered Republican voters are outnumbered in the traditionally blue-collar, Catholic and Orthodox Jewish district by a margin of three to one.

Anthony Weiner resigned in June after it emerged he had sent a series of images to a number of different women via Twitter.

Obama focus

The ninth district, encompassing parts of southern Brooklyn and south-central Queens, has long been a traditional Democratic stronghold.

Correspondents say losing the election will be a symbolic blow to the White House at a moment when President Obama is beginning his bid for re-election amid low approval ratings.

During the current campaign, the president has been the focus of Republican attacks at least as much as David Weprin, a member of the New York state assembly and the actual Democratic candidate.

In response, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had reportedly spent more than $500,000 on TV advertisements.

Former President Bill Clinton and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo have recorded phone messages for registered Democrats in an effort to win over undecided voters.

Meanwhile in Nevada, Republican Mark Amodei won the election to fill a vacant seat in the House of Representatives.

Mr Amodei beat Democrat Kate Marshall in the rural northern Nevada district that has never elected a Democrat.

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