Matzav reports:

A group of Flatbush rabbonim have signed a letter stating that it is forbidden to vote or campaign for Democrat David Weprin in the race to replace Queens Rep. Anthony Weiner. Weprin is a New York State assemblyman and formerly a member of the New York City Council where he served as chairman of its finance committee.

Weprin, an Orthodox Jew, has sparked the ire of much of the frum community because of his vote in favor of same-gender marriage. He has defended the vote publicly.

Many are upset about Mr. Weprin’s vote earlier this year in Albany to legalize same gender marriage in New York state, and particularly that Mr. Weprin cited his Orthodox Jewish faith as a reason to vote for the bill.

Click here to view the letter on the Matzav website.

It's good to see the Times finally giving a voice to the good people of diverse backgrounds who believe in marriage as the union of husband and wife:

Larry Yang, the Korean-American owner of a hardware store next door, said he resented such a public promotion of same-sex marriage. He said many among the large number of Korean-American Christians in Queens felt similarly but feared that if they spoke out they would be demonized by a liberal majority.

... As in some other parts of the city, same-sex marriage has laid bare the clash between the social conservatism of many immigrants and the values of the often wealthier and more liberal newcomers to the neighborhood.

... In a National Herald poll late last month, about 1,000 Greek-Americans were asked, “Do you approve of gay marriage?” Eighty-six percent of the respondents said no.

“Many in the Greek community are conservative and traditional, and marriage is viewed as a sacrament of the church, not as a civil right,” Mr. Sirigos said.

In Flushing, Queens, one of New York’s most polyglot neighborhoods, with one of the largest Asian communities in the country, opponents of same-sex marriage said they had felt sidelined during the debate over it.

... “It’s a business thing, because a lot of gay people live here,” he said. “I have no problem with my gay customers. But we are Korean. We are conservative. No one says, ‘This gay marriage is a good thing.’ What is this world coming to?”

Big money coming in:

Democrats are showing the clearest sign yet of concern ahead of next Tuesday's special election in New York's 9th District - the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is going up on air with an expensive television buy in the campaign's closing days.According to buy information obtained by Hotline On Call, the DCCC has made a $483,500 TV ad buy in the district, starting tomorrow through Monday. --National Journal's Hotline On Call blog

More from The Hill's Ballot Box blog:

The buy is a bad sign for Democrats: Just weeks ago party insiders said they had no concerns about Republican candidate Bob Turner winning the race.

UPDATE - read our official press release here.

Thomas Kaplan at the New York Times City Room blog got the scoop:

After the New York State Legislature voted in June to allow gay couples to wed, opposition groups vowed that they would make trouble for lawmakers who supported the marriage bill the next time they had to face the voters.

On Wednesday, the National Organization for Marriage said it would spend $75,000 to help defeat Assemblyman David I. Weprin, the Democratic candidate in the special election to replace former Representative Anthony D. Weiner.

... Brian S. Brown, the president of the National Organization for Marriage, said in a telephone interview that the group planned to spend more money, about $30,000, on automated phone calls, additional mailings and get-out-the-vote efforts before the election, scheduled for Tuesday.

“David Weprin made a terrible mistake when he voted for same-sex marriage,” Mr. Brown said, “and I think his community is going to hold him accountable.”

... according to campaign finance filings, and the group’s [NOM's] $45,000 outlay is the largest so-called independent expenditure in the race to date.

In recent weeks, Mr. Weprin has faced unease among some Orthodox Jews in the district who are uncomfortable with his vote on same-sex marriage. On Wednesday, Assemblyman Dov Hikind, a leader in the Orthodox community and a Democrat, endorsed Mr. Turner; last month, Mr. Hikind cited Mr. Weprin’s support of same-sex marriage when he ruled out supporting him in the special election.

That's what happens when you cross the people who you need to vote for you:

Democratic congressional candidate David Weprin is ploughing at least $260,000 into TV ads during the final stretch of the campaign to fight off a strong challenge from GOP rival Bob Turner in Tuesday’s special election for disgraced ex-Rep. Anthony Weiner seat, sources said.

“The idea that this race is so close is a humiliation for the Democratic Party,’’ a New York Democratic official griped. --NY Post