Altschuler raises $215,000 As Primary Challenger Raises $13K

Republican businessman Randy Altschuler, who is running a rematch this year against Suffolk County Democratic Congressman Tim Bishop, raised a solid $215,000 over the past fundraising quarter, according to a disclosure filed yesterday. But he still is far behind the Democratic incumbent in total dollars in the bank.

Altschuler retains $583,000 in cash on hand, and still owes himself $500,000 for a loan he took out during his extremely narrow loss to Bishop in 2010. Bishop’s last filing in October showed $998,000 on hand, and his January filing is not yet available.

Altschuler, who won a divisive three-way Republican primary in 2010, now has most local establishment Republican support behind him, but still will face a challenge from one of his 2010 opponents, George Demos, who continues to lob attacks about Altschuler’s past career that involved outsourcing jobs.

The January filing for Demos shows only $12,800 raised over the last quarter, and $86,000 on hand.

Also, Altschuler announced yesterday via press release that he had hired a campaign manager: Diana Weir, the former executive director of the Long Island Housing Partnership, and former chief of staff to Congressman Michael Forbes

“Diana is widely-respected across Long Island in the private, public and political arenas,” said Altschuler in a statement.  “I am thrilled to formally announce her hiring today as the person leading my team on the ground.  Today’s news continues the positive momentum my campaign has demonstrated since I announced my plans to seek a rematch against Congressman Bishop last spring.”