It’s a slugfest out there on the tip of Long Island…Here’s the latest update from the NY-1 recount, courtesy of Democratic Rep. Tim Bishop’s spokesman Jon Schneider.

At the end of Day Four of counting, Bishop took the lead from his GOP challenger, Randy Altschuler, despite what Schneider described as the Republican businessman’s “aggressive ballot challenge strategy designed to suppress Bishop’s momentum.” Despite initially trailing by 383 votes, Bishop now has a lead of 15 votes.

Altschuler has challenged 212 more voters than Bishop. Schneider predicted many of those challenges will be dismissed, which will ultimately bolster the incumbent congressman’s lead even further.

“Tim Bishop has the lead and we are confident he will win this election,” said Schneider.

“While we still have a long road ahead, one pattern is clear: the more votes we count, the more votes Tim Bishop gains. Even Randy Altschuler can’t lodge enough frivolous challenges to suppress Bishop’s lead.”

Counting is now complete in East Hampton, Riverhead, Shelter Island, Smithtown, Southampton, Southold, as well as 41 of 294 election districts from Brookhaven.

Among the Altschuler campaign’s objections today (deemed “frivolous” by Schneider) was a challenge to the residency status of soon-to-be-former Sen. Brian Foley’s son, Michael, a lifelong Blue Point resident and student at George Mason University.

UPDATE: Altschuler spokesman Rob Ryan sent the following comments:

“Counting absentee ballots is often similar to a roller coaster ride. Over 5,000 ballots remain to be counted in Brookhaven and we remain confident that when the final vote is counted Randy Altschuler will be the new Congressman.”

“The Bishop campaign’s caterwauling about ‘frivolous challenges’ is deceptive and wrong, when in fact, they have been challenging the ballots of election inspectors who were at work on Election Day.”

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