Altschuler defeats opponents to face Bishop

St. James businessman Randy Altschuler defeated two Republican primary opponents to win the right to face Rep. Tim Bishop (D-Southampton) Tuesday night, capping a campaign defined by its nastiness.

"Tonight we are sending a message out to Republicans, Conservatives, independents and, yes, to conservative Democrats too," Altschuler said to cheers at his victory party. "It's time we send that tax-and-spend liberal Tim Bishop packing."

Altschuler won about 45 percent of the vote, well ahead of opponents George Demos of Ronkonkoma, with 30 percent, and Chris Cox of Westhampton Beach, who was third with 24 percent.

Altschuler, 39, who dumped at least $1.56 million of his own money into the race, fended off allegations from Cox and Demos that he was a carpetbagging millionaire who made his fortune outsourcing American jobs.

Altschuler also defeated a Cox write-in effort for the Conservative Party line.

Cox, 31, and Demos, 33, both conceded Tuesday night.

Suffolk Democratic chairman Richard Schaffer said he was happy to face Altschuler in the general election.

"I'm delighted because the Republicans themselves have said he's the number one outsourcer, a guy who has created more jobs in India than the United States," Schaffer said.

Demos surged in the campaign's final weeks, winning key endorsements from the National Review and talk-show host Rush Limbaugh. But he did not have enough money or organization to win, Altschuler campaign aides said. Cox, 31, grandson of President Richard Nixon and son of state GOP chairman Ed Cox, once appeared to be the race's front-runner, but failed to gain traction.

With the three candidates largely agreeing on policy issues, the campaign was fought over their biographies. None of the three men have particularly deep roots in the district, which covers Brookhaven, Smithtown and the East End.

In other Long Island congressional primaries:

3rd District: Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford) handily defeated perennial GOP primary opponent Bob Previdi of Manhasset.

4th District: Republican Francis X. Becker of Lynbrook, a Nassau legislator, led Frank Scaturro of Hempstead, a Hofstra law professor, but the race could not be called by press time. Both led tea party candidate Daniel Maloney of Baldwin. The winner will face Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-Mineola).

5th District: Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Roslyn Heights) defeated Patricia Maher of East Meadow. In the district's GOP primary, physician James Milano of Oyster Bay led attorney Elizabeth Berney of Great Neck.

With Patrick Whittle