Bishop Zeldin II Six Years Later

           Six years ago, 2008, i covered the Bishop -Zeldin 1st Congressional District Race. After attending the Montauk debate I wrote the following:
      He (Congressman Bishop) accused the President of the United States (George W. Bush)of impeachable offences, citing many what he considered disgraces of President Bush’s domestic and foreign policy decisions as being “un-American.” Mr. Zeldin on the other hand has wrapped himself around the American flag believing very much in the mission in Iraq and looking at the situation there as someone who served there. He believes in the mission. Congressman Bishop considers the mission almost criminal. Although Congressman Bishop has the cloak of incumbency around him he is running scared because Republicans out register Democrats in the First Congressional  District by double figures. Tim Bishop usually handles this reality by running superb campaigns against usually disorganized Republican opponents. However that is not true this time, as the grass roots campaign of Lee Zeldin has hit a certain cord on his side of the Shinnecock Canal. In fact with the heavy turnout to vote against Barrack Obama in Republican areas Mr. Zeldin may in fact get a voter turnout more favorable to him. An expert of the district, a Bishop supporter said, “A large turn out does not favor Bishop, due to large number of registered Republicans.”

        Six years later State Senator Lee Zeldin is taking another crack at U.S. Congressman Tim Bishop hoping to tie Bishop to Obama's failures. The funny thing 6 years ago was the surging  Obama tide helped Bishop win easily. Now Mr. Zeldin is more seasoned and a better campaigner. Most likely expensive media ads will play a huge roll so both men are out raising money. Most likely you already have run into one of them doing just that.

          This election will test the work of recent Democratic Party registration drives in the district. In an off year election the incumbent's base usually does not turn out as in a Presidential Election year. Proof of this was the extremely narrow less then 1/2 percent victory Bishop scored over then Republican new comer Randy Altschuler in 2010. So much can and will happen before the November election.  Years ago then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Thomas “Tip” O’Neal said, “All politics is local.” This year’s election in the First Congressional District in New York will be all but local.