Benjy Sarlin September 1, 2011, 6:17 PM

It’s not looking good for Democrats in New York’s 9th district, where voters will determine Anthony Weiner’s successor on September 13th. A Republican-commissioned poll shows the race tied after a week in which Democratic nominee David Weprin fluffed a question on the size of the national debt.

The poll, by McLaughlin & Associates, found a 42-42 tie between Weprin and Republican Bob Turner among 300 likely voters surveyed. A poll last month by Siena University showed Weprin with a 46-40 lead, and even that was enough to raise alarm bells in the Democratic-leaning district.

Weprin is coming off his toughest week of the campaign. In an editorial meeting with the New York Daily News over the weekend, he guessed that the national debt was $4 trillion (it’s over $14 trillion). The error was bad enough on its own, but Weprin was the chair of the finance committee on the City Council for eight years, and he’s repeatedly touted that as his central qualification. On Monday, he canceled a debate with Turner, citing logistical complications from Hurricane Irene, which prompted a fresh round of attacks from his opponent that he was trying to avoid questions about the gaffe.

Turner has also made Democrats nervous by aggressively attacking President Obama, and by extension Weprin, as anti-Israel for suggesting that negotiations with Palestinians over statehood should use the 1967 borders as their starting point. It’s a policy idea that has long been accepted by leaders in both countries across multiple administrations. Even taking it on its own terms, Weprin, an Orthodox Jew, has joined Turner in condemning Obama’s remarks on such negotiations as well, but there are signs that the line is gaining traction with Jewish voters in the district.

Anthony Weiner, Bob Turner, David Weprin, special election