U.S. Republican businessman Bob Turner has pulled off an upset victory in a special election for a U.S. congressional seat in New York, winning what is seen by some as a referendum on the policies of President Barack Obama.

Turner defeated Democratic state assemblyman David Weprin on Tuesday to win the seat vacated by Anthony Weiner, who resigned earlier this year after an online sex scandal.

The New York congressional district, which includes parts of the neighborhoods of Queens and Brooklyn, has traditionally been Democratic, with no Republican elected to represent it in eight decades.

Turner told supporters that his victory will help “send a message to Washington.” During his campaign, he called for lower taxes and deep spending cuts to the federal budget.

Nevada also held a special election Tuesday, with Republican Mark Amodei easily winning a House seat, besting his Democratic challenger Kate Marshall.