Congressman Tim Bishop (D-Southampton) and his Republican challenger, businessman Randy Altschuler, will square off Friday during a live televised congressional debate at St. Joseph’s College in Patchogue.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE DEBATE LIVE
The debate will be aired on Verizon FiOS1 News at 5 p.m. and live at Long Island Press.com/debates, where readers will be able to chat and discuss the issues as the debate is happening.
The Press‘ senior editor, Spencer Rumsey, will serve as panelists for the debate, along with John Callegari, a Long Island Business News reporter and Mike Stevens, a FiOS1 News anchor.
The contest between the incumbent Bishop and Altschuler for the First Congressional district, which covers most of the East End, is a rematch of a closely contested battle two years ago.
A Siena College poll released in September showed Bishop with a double-digit lead in the race. But a similar poll in 2010 also had the Democratic congressman leading by double digits with only a month left in the race, but the contest turned out to be much closer in the end, with Altschuler losing by only 593 votes following a recount.