Bishop leading Altschuler in poll

In a race Republicans thought was ripe for the picking, Rep. Tim Bishop has a double-digit lead over GOP challenger Randy Altschuler in their heated multimillion-dollar battle, according to a Siena Research Institute poll released Wednesday.

The poll shows that Bishop (D-Southampton) leads Altschuler by 12 points - 51 to 39 among likely voters - with nine percent undecided in the first congressional district, which covers eastern Suffolk.

Siena pollster Steve Greenberg said Bishop has a "solid lead" because he is "better known and better liked than Altschuler and is seen by voters as better on all the issues." But GOP officials said results are skewed because angry voters are inadequately counted.

Bishop led in the poll with nearly nine of 10 Democratic voters and a 46-to-43 percent edge with independent voters. In addition, Bishop is getting one in four Republican votes. Bishop also has a 16 percent margin with women and a 15-point edge among those 55 and older. Altschuler is seen unfavorably by 44 percent, while 33 percent see him favorably after the bruising primaries.

"It's better than I expected. I am very happy about it," Bishop said. Altschuler countered, "We don't agree with the poll," adding his polls show a "neck and neck race." He also said a Siena primary poll for governor showed Rick Lazio had a narrow lead on Carl Paladino, but lost by 26 points.

Bishop's lead comes in the face of an onslaught of Altschuler ads accusing Bishop of being too closely aligned with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Barack Obama. Bishop has hammered Altschuler in an ad for outsourcing thousands of jobs to Asia and trying to buy the seat.

Richard Schaffer, Suffolk Democratic chairman, said GOP attacks have not worked because Bishop "pays attention to the district." But John Jay LaValle, Suffolk Republican chairman, said the poll is "horribly mistaken" because it does not tap angry new voters.