Bishop camp claims victory

Rep. Tim Bishop's camp claimed victory Wednesday, citing the incumbent Southampton congressman's 3,400-vote lead over his challenger.

"We have a very solid margin," Brookhaven Democratic Chairman Jon Schneider said. "A quick glance at absentee votes tells you that they are predominately from the East End, which is Tim's home base."

Earlier, Bishop said he was cautiously optimistic he would survive a 16-month campaign challenge by St. James businessman Randy Altschuler to oust him from his East End congressional seat.

Altschuler was deciding his next step Wednesday afternoon.

As of 2:57 a.m., the Suffolk County Board of Elections showed Bishop (D-Southampton) leading Altschuler by a margin of about 3,400 votes - 92,252-88,791 - with 100 percent of the 460 election districts reporting.

Four Long Island House incumbents retained their seats Tuesday, led by Rep. Carolyn McCarthy surviving a tough challenge from Republican challenger Francis X. Becker while the other three won easily, Bishop danced around the question of whether he thought he'd won re-election.

"It was a little closer than I would have liked," he said as the crowd at the Suffolk Democratic Party celebration in Islandia chanted "Bishop! Bishop!" Referring to Altschuler the incumbent then told supporters: "But I like where I am and I'd rather be here than where he is."

Bishop spokeswoman Audrey Kubetin said the race would not be decided until absentee ballots are counted.

Altschuler spokesman Rob Ryan said his candidate will begin consulting with election attorneys Wednesday to determine if the results will be challenged.

No one was challenging the outcome of the votes for the other incumbents, as Reps. Steve Israel (D-Dix Hills), Peter King (R-Seaford), Gary Ackerman (D-Roslyn Heights) and McCarthy all won re-election. With 562 of the 565 precincts counted early Wednesday McCarthy led Becker, 89,828 votes to 77,483.

"It looks good for us," McCarthy said earlier. But, she added: "We want to make sure all the votes are in to make sure we've won a clean fight."

Becker, a 14-year county legislator from Lynbrook, did not concede.

But his brother, Hilary, said it was "definitely not looking good."

Becker ran a largely below-the-radar race until late October when he released a poll conducted by his campaign showing him within a single percentage point of McCarthy (D-Mineola).

That margin grew to 7 percent on election night, however.

Certainly the toughest battle belonged to Bishop, 60, seeking his fifth term and facing his toughest opponent in Altschuler - a millionaire who spent at least $2.5 million of his own money.

Altschuler sought to paint Bishop as a tax-raising Democrat allied more with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) than the district, while Bishop hammered Altschuler for living in the district just four years and building companies that employed overseas workers in back-office jobs previously done by Americans.

In the campaign's waning days, Bishop brought in political big guns, such as Vice President Joe Biden for a fundraiser and former president Bill Clinton for a rally at Stony Brook University.

Bishop needed the help, he said, because "I'm facing a gazillionaire."

Israel, 52, fought off a challenge from underfunded Republican John Gomez of Bayport. Gomez, 48, tried to exploit his high-profile friendship with talk-show host Sean Hannity.

King, 66, and Ackerman, 67, had only token challengers to their re-election bids. King defeated schoolteacher Howard Kudler, 56, of Merrick to win his 10th term. Ackerman beat physician James Milano, 42 of Oyster Bay.

With Patrick Whittle,William Murphy and Denise Bonilla