Spending by outside interest groups in the congressional race between Rep. Tim Bishop (D-Southampton) and St. James Republican Randy Altschuler has topped $2 million -- double the total spent by such groups when the candidates first squared off in 2010.

Prosperity First Inc., a new super PAC largely funded by East Setauket hedge fund manager Robert Mercer, on Tuesday purchased $104,868 in ads supporting Altschuler, according to Federal Election Commission reports. Over five weeks, the PAC has poured nearly $800,000 into the 1st Congressional District contest.
Bishop, seeking his sixth term, has benefited from only about 20 percent of expenditures by groups that operate independently of candidate committees. On Tuesday, the Communications Workers of America's Working Voices PAC bought...| read more ››

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone on Friday released a proposed 2013 budget that erases the county's deficit while keeping increases under the state's 2 percent tax cap.

Bellone's budget, which the executive said increases less than 1 percent year-over-year, freezes the county's spending while enacting a slate of new measures meant to rein in costs.| read more ››

Less than 600 votes separated them last time, but with eight weeks to go in their rematch, Democratic Rep. Tim Bishop has seized a 13-point lead over Republican Randy Altschuler, according to a new poll released Thursday.

According to Siena College, Bishop (D-Southampton) leads Altschuler, a St. James businessman, 52 percent to 39 percent, among 624 Suffolk County voters surveyed from Sept. 5 to 10. Notably, Bishop led among independent voters, 49 percent to 41 percent.

The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.

Siena said that voters saw Bishop as better representing them on most issues, including taxes, jobs and the war in Afghanistan.

The two candidates have recently unleashed critical television ads...| read more ››