TL/DR –
Long Island Democrat Thomas Suozzi has announced his intention to run for his former congressional seat, currently held by controversial Rep. George Santos. Suozzi, who previously held New York’s 3rd Congressional District seat for three terms, said he would launch a formal campaign after local elections in November. Rep. George Santos has come under scrutiny after his campaign’s former bookkeeper pleaded guilty to various charges related to fraud and money-laundering, and Santos himself was charged with financial crimes including defrauding campaign donors and falsifying information on financial paperwork.
Thomas Suozzi Announces Bid for former Congressional Seat
Long Island Democrat Thomas Suozzi formally announced his intent on Tuesday to run for his previous congressional seat, currently held by embattled Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.). The move comes amid an increasing number of candidates for the seat and rising speculation that Santos could be ousted.
Suozzi revealed he is forming a committee to prepare for his Congressional run next year, with the formal campaign launch planned after local elections in November.
Addressing the turmoil in Washington, DC and questioning Santos’s continuing presence in Congress, Suozzi issued a statement on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
Suozzi’s Political Background
Suozzi, who served three terms in New York’s 3rd Congressional District, defeated Santos in his first run in 2020. Before his stint in Congress, he held posts as Nassau County’s executive and the mayor of Glen Cove, N.Y.
After relinquishing his congressional seat for a gubernatorial run last year, which he lost to incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), Suozzi now seeks a political comeback.
Scandals Surrounding George Santos
Santos’s former bookkeeper, Nancy Marks, pleaded guilty last week to false statements, obstructing federal campaign regulators, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft in relation to Santos’s fraud and money laundering indictment.
The first-time congressman, who announced his bid for reelection in April, finds himself embroiled in financial crime allegations and facing a potential forced exit from the office.
Contenders for the Congressional Seat
The race for Santos’s seat has garnered interest from numerous Democrats including Democratic fundraiser Zak Malamed, former N.Y. state senator Anna Kaplan, and Josh Lafazan, a Nassau County legislator. Both Malamed and Kaplan criticized Suozzi for his previous abandonment of his congressional seat.
Notably, Santos also has a few Republican primary challengers, including Afghanistan war veteran and investment banker Kellen Curry, former New York Police Department detective Mike Sapraicone, and ex-Israel Defense Forces member Daniel Norber.
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