Democrat Rep. Tim Bishop claimed victory in the 1st Congressional District Tuesday night after a bruising campaign rematch with Republican Randy Altschuler.

"This is a victory," Bishop told supporters shortly before midnight.

With 95 percent of the votes counted, Bishop, of Southampton, had 52 percent to Altschuler's 48 percent.
Altschuler conceded just after midnight.

"I'd like to congratulate Tim Bishop on his win tonight," Altschuler said.

Bishop, who was seeking his sixth term in the eastern Suffolk County district, had called the campaign his toughest. In 2010, he edged Altschuler by 593 votes out of about 202,000 ballots cast.

Altschuler, 41, who co-founded two businesses, spent and raised about $2 million, as did Bishop, 62, a former college provost. But Altschuler benefitted from $3 million in super PAC spending on his behalf.

"My opponent may have had the guys with the big checks, I had the guys with the big hearts," Bishop told supporters shortly before midnight.

Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford), was comfortably ahead in seeking his 11th herm in the 2nd District, which had been dramatically redrawn to be 75 percent in Suffolk instead of 80 percent in Nassau.

King, 68, was facing Vivianne C. Falcone, 55, a Democrat and former teacher from West Islip who was making her first run for public office

Early results had Rep. Steve Israel (D-Huntington) ahead in the 3rd District, which also was redrawn. It now runs primarily along the North Shore as far west as Queens. He was opposed by Stephen A. Labate, 44, a Republican from Deer Park whose career has been in financial planning.

Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-Mineola), who was first elected in 1996, had an edge in the 4th District as early results were tallied. She ran on a platform to strengthen the economy, create jobs on Long Island and continue her work on gun control. She was thrust into the public spotlight when her husband, Dennis, was shot and killed in the December 1993 Long Island Rail Road massacre.

McCarthy's opponent in the 4th District race, Francis X. Becker Jr., 59, is in his 16th year as the area's county legislator.

Rep. Gregory Meeks, 59, a Democrat from St. Albans, sought his seventh term in the 5th District, which was expanded from southeast Queens into Nassau County.

He was opposed by Allan Jennings Jr., 45, a Republican who is a former mortgage banker and New York City councilman.