Let the Debates Begin
With Election Day less than four weeks away, Representative Tim Bishop, a Democrat, and State Senator Lee Zeldin, his Republican challenger, are locked in a close contest to represent New York’s First Congressional District.
Some recent polling indicates a dead heat, though the Cook Political Report put the race in its “Lean Democratic” column on Friday. Also on Friday, the Rothenberg Political Report put the race in its “Toss-Up/Tilt Democrat” column, a downgrade for Mr. Bishop from its previous “Lean Democrat” designation.
Mr. Bishop, the ranking minority member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure’s Water Resources and Environment subcommittee, a member of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency caucus, and of the Long Island Sound caucus, picked up an endorsement from the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund on Tuesday. The environmental group’s president, Gene Karpinski, called the six-term congressman “an environmental leader who fights for policies to combat climate change, protect our clean air and water, and promote renewable energy.”
Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski has also endorsed Mr. Bishop, citing the congressman’s commitment to education, the environment, and investing in Long Island infrastructure.
Mr. Zeldin visited East Hampton last week, meeting supporters at Cittanuova restaurant on Newtown Lane in an event sponsored by the East Hampton Town Republican Committee.
Mr. Bishop and Mr. Zeldin were scheduled to meet last night at the Riverhead Polish Hall in a debate hosted by the websites RiverheadLOCAL and SoutholdLOCAL. The candidates will debate again tomorrow at St. Joseph’s College in Patchogue.
Next Thursday at 7 p.m., the League of Women Voters of the Hamptons will host a debate in the auditorium of Westhampton Beach High School. The league’s Cathy Peacock will moderate the debate, in which the candidates will present opening and closing statements and answer questions posed by David E. Rattray, the editor of The Star, and others, including audience members. The debate will air on the Town of Southampton’s SEA-TV, Channel 22.
The following evening, LTV will present an open discussion at its Studio 3 in Wainscott. Robert Strada of LTV will host participants including Mr. Bishop, Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr., Suffolk Legislator Jay Schneiderman, East Hampton Town Supervisor Larry Cantwell, and Southampton Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst. The discussion will be broadcast live on LTV Channel 20 in East Hampton, but residents have been encouraged to attend in person. Questions can be submitted online starting next Thursday at 6 a.m. and during the broadcast at phlive.at with the passcode LTV.
Mr. Thiele, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, will face a Republican challenger, Heather Collins, and a Conservative Party candidate, Brian DeSesa, on Election Day, Nov. 4. Mr. Thiele is also running on the Working Families Party and the Independence Party of New York State tickets.
On Monday, Mr. Thiele released a list of more than 20 groups that have endorsed his candidacy. Law enforcement groups including the Coalition of Suffolk Police Unions and the Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association; policy groups including the New York League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club, and the Long Island Environmental Voters Forum; labor unions including the New York State A.F.L.-C.I.O. and the Suffolk County Association of Municipal Employees, and policy advocates including Planned Parenthood and the Empire State Pride Agenda are backing his re-election.
State Senator Kenneth P. LaValle, running on the Republican, Conservative, and Independence Party of New York State tickets, ran unopposed in the Republican Party primary. He will face Michael Conroy, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.