Bob Turner makes his debut as a Republican candidate for the NY9 seat. (photo credit: azi paybarah / observer)

Retired business exec Bob Turner said he plans to spend "as little as possible" on his congressional campaign against Democrat David Weprin, in the nine-week special election for the seat vacated by Anthony Weiner.

After his campaign kick-off outside a Long Island Railroad station in Forest Hills this morning, Turner told reporters the issues will be the same ones as his 2010 race against Weiner -- jobs, the economy and "lack of any leadership or plan in Washington" -- but said he remains undoubtedly the underdog.

"The Democratic registration is more than 3 to 1. The election is set on Primary Day, which is not an accident; that has a bigger Democratic turnout," he said.

In his last race, Turner presented himself as a fiscal hawk, but also railed against Weiner for supporting President Obama's healthcare plan.

So, I asked Turner if he would have voted for Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan's budget plan, which helped Democrats capture an upstate New York seat that Republicans had held for 40 years, after the Republican candidate enthusiastically backed it.

"I would have to study that a good deal more," said Turner. "There are some aspects of that that I find very desirable. We have to get into some budget cutting," he said, before vowing to protect entitlements for seniors already vested in Medicaid.