Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) endorsed Republican businessman Robert Turner on Monday in the open-seat race in New York’s 9th district.

Turner, who faces state Assemblyman David Weprin (D) in the Sept. 13 special election, is considered a long shot for the seat in the reliably Democratic district. However, he trailed Weprin by only 6 points in a recent poll.

“Congress is in dire need of business leaders like Bob Turner, not another career politician,” Giuliani said in a statement released by the Turner campaign. “This country needs to start creating jobs again and Bob Turner has the national and international business know-how to help move us in that direction.”

The Brooklyn- and Queens-based seat became open after Rep. Anthony Weiner (D) resigned following his admission that he had engaged in sexual online communications with at least six women. Some of the interactions took place after his July 2010 wedding.

Roll Call Politics rates the district as Likely Democratic.