New York Democrats tap Tom Suozzi to replace Santos and reclaim his old seat

New York Democrats tapped former Rep. Tom Suozzi as their nominee to replace former Rep. George Santos (R-NY) in the state’s 3rd Congressional District, setting the stage for a competitive special election that could shift the balance of power in the lower chamber.

Nassau County and Queens County Democratic leaders announced Suozzi as their desired nominee on Thursday, giving the former representative an opportunity to reclaim the House seat he once held until he declined reelection to instead run for governor in 2022.

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“Tom Suozzi has a proven record of fighting for his constituents, fighting to safeguard our suburban way of life here on Long Island and Queens and always advocating for sensible solutions to the real challenges affecting everyday average Americans,” the county leaders said in a joint statement.”

It’s not yet clear who Suozzi will face in the special election as Republicans have not yet picked their nominee, but the former representative is likely to benefit from his widespread name recognition after representing the district for three terms.

“The folk from Massapequa and Levittown to the north shore of Nassau, to northeast Queens deserve better. I will work day and night with both parties to deliver for the people, to make living here more affordable, safer and better. I delivered for this district before, and I will do it again by putting you ahead of the partisanship. Let’s reject the nonsense and get back to work,” Suozzi said in a statement on X announcing his nomination.

The special election comes after Santos was expelled from the House last week in a 311-114 vote, marking only the sixth time a lawmaker has been ousted from the lower chamber in U.S. history. The special election will be held on Feb. 13.

State law mandated Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) to schedule a special election less than 10 days after Santos’s removal, with the election itself happening within 70-80 days of the seat being vacant. County party leaders from each of the respective parties are then required to choose a nominee to appear on the ballot, and whoever receives the majority vote will carry out the rest of Santos’s term.

County party leaders must declare their intended nominees within 30 days of Hochul’s announcement, giving Republicans until Jan. 4 to name their candidate.

The race is expected to draw a lot of attention as Democrats eye flipping the seat and narrowing the GOP’s already slim majority. Both parties and their respective candidate committees are already looking at the race and how it will play a role in possibly shifting the balance of power for the remainder of this Congress.

“Tom Suozzi’s attempted comeback tour will be playing all the hits: self-enrichment, defunding the police, and raising taxes (just to name a few). Voters will reject Suozzi just like they did in his failed bid for governor last year,” NRCC Spokeswoman Savannah Viar said in a statement.

Democratic groups are already vowing to get involved with the election, which will take place in a toss-up district. The House Majority PAC, a super PAC dedicated to electing Democrats to the lower chamber, said it plans to “play a significant role” in the special election and “will do whatever it takes to flip this district blue.”

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The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is also pouncing on Santos’s expulsion, with the party’s main fundraising arm already using his ouster to raise money to flip the seat. The group sent emails shortly after the vote passed soliciting funds to further cut down on the GOP’s House majority.

“Their desperation to protect their slim majority is emblematic of the dysfunction and hypocrisy of MAGA Republicans,” DCCC Chairwoman Suzan DelBene (D-WA) said. “The simple truth is George Santos is unfit for Congress, and families across Queens and Nassau County deserve a representative who fights for their community. House Democrats are ready to get to work and take back this seat, moving the House one step closer to delivering for the middle class and working families once more.”