Democrat Tom Suozzi wins N.Y. special election to replace George Santos
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Feb. 14, 2024, 3:20 AM UTCBy Bridget Bowman and Sahil Kapur
WOODBURY, N.Y. — Former Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi is heading back to Congress after winning the special election in New York's 3rd District to replace former GOP Rep. George Santos, NBC News projects.
Suozzi's victory Tuesday over Republican Mazi Pilip cuts Republicans' already razor-thin House majority by one seat, making legislating even more difficult moving forward. And it could provide a guide for Democrats competing in similar competitive districts this fall, especially when it comes to navigating their political vulnerability on immigration and border security.
The former congressman may have been helped by a winter storm that walloped the New York City area on Tuesday, as Democrats built up an early advantage in early votes. But his victory also came amid some built-in advantages in name I.D. and fundraising as the district's former congressman, and as Democrats outspent Republicans on the airwaves.
"He has the values that I have — to get things done but to take into consideration the people who are in need. And he represents the majority of the middle class," said Jeanne DeChiaro, who voted for Suozzi in Syosset and said her biggest issues were abortion, immigration, the economy and "the ability to be bipartisan."
Linda Karpe, a Suozzi voter, said the roads on Long Island were "horrible" on her way to the voting booth, and "the cars were swerving all around the place."
"I think my son wants my inheritance because he told me 'It would be okay to drive, Mom,'" Karpe joked. "It was really bad."
Though President Joe Biden won the Long Island-based district by 8 percentage points, per calculations from Daily Kos Elections, Republicans have made gains in the area since then. In 2022, Santos won this open seat by 8 points, but he was expelled from Congress in December following his indictment on federal charges and a damning Ethics Committee report that alleged Santos broke multiple federal laws and misused campaign funds. (Santos has pleaded not guilty and is set to go to trial in September).
The result is a blow to the Nassau County GOP, which has been energized by a string of victories in recent years amid a backlash to Democratic-run New York City and Albany. Before Santos was ousted, Republicans represented every congressional district on Long Island.
It's also bad news for Republicans in the House who have struggled to pass even partisan bills. Once Suozzi is sworn in, they'll face even greater pressure to compromise with Democrats to advance legislation.
While TV ads in the race focused largely on immigration and abortion, House Majority PAC, a Democratic super PAC, launched an ad in recent days tying Pilip to Santos, describing her as an "ethical nightmare" and raising questions about her finances. Her campaign spokesman Brian Devine told the New York Times that she filed an amended financial disclosure report because "a preliminary draft ... was inadvertently submitted prior to final review by Mazi's financial team."
Santos' expulsion set off the sprint to the special election, and Democrats quickly coalesced around Suozzi as their nominee, who represented the district from 2017-2023 after serving as the Nassau County executive and mayor of Glen Cove.
Suozzi did not run for re-election last year, instead making an unsuccessful run for governor in a bitter primary race against Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul. Suozzi met with Hochul prior to his nomination for Tuesday's contest, where he apologized and Hochul pressed him on his path to victory and his support for abortion rights, according to a source familiar with the meeting.
In the short special election, Suozzi faced a barrage of attack ads on immigration, which Republicans saw as a salient issue for voters watching an influx of migrants hit neighboring New York City. He quickly answered with his own TV ads and stressed his support for a doomed bipartisan border deal, which Pilip opposed.
Democrats also leveraged the issue of abortion, with outside groups launching ads featuring footage of Pilip describing herself as "pro-life." While Pilip said she would not support a national abortion ban, she declined to say if she would vote to protect abortion rights at the federal level.
Suozzi also stressed his staunch support for Israel in the district, which has a sizable Jewish population, amid the country's ongoing war with Hamas. Pilip also emphasized her own Jewish faith, and her service in the Israeli Defense Forces after migrating to the country from Ethiopia as a child.
Suozzi and Pilip could face off again in November. Both candidates have committed to running for the full term. But the district's lines could change in an ongoing redistricting process. The state's redistricting commission has until Feb. 28 to draw a new congressional map, and the state GOP has vowed to challenge the it if the party views it as a partisan gerrymander.
Bridget Bowman
Bridget Bowman is a deputy editor for NBC's Political Unit.
Sahil Kapur
Sahil Kapur is a senior national political reporter for NBC News.
Tags
Who is online
408 visitors
Democrats regained George Santos old seat in Congress tonight!
It's a good start.
Excellent.
No wonder the push to impeach Mayorkas today, the writing was on the wall for NY3rd.
Of course that was it, if it wasn’t for George Santos vote today it never would’ve happened.
George, you are missing why. First of all, Tom Suozzi was our congressmen for 3 times before and was well-liked. He was always very moderate, despite how his positions were spinned. Also, Mazi's stance on abortion did her in. I know I voted for Suozzi just for that alone!
You’re going to hate comment 7. Since our left leaning friends use those terms on anyone right of Che’ I figured a taste of their own medicine was in order.
Perrie, I believe the people voted for who they felt best represents them, in your case it was women’s rights and autonomy to make healthcare choices without government intervention, I’m pro-choice. My comment was about the ridiculousness of the comment that the impeachment had anything to do with NY 3.
Oh the irony of anyone complaining about immigrants altering the make up of the 5 Boroughs. /S!
.
Obviously the democrats in NY3 are antisemitic racist misogynists, voting for a old white guy instead of an African American Jewish woman.
George,
How can you say that? They voted for a Latino gay man the last time. This had nothing to do with Mazi's race or sex, but her position especially on abortion. I'm a Jewish woman and I didn't vote for her.
Just mirroring what I see here daily, republicans are racist old white men who vote for old white men.
Good point. Republicans didn't vote for her either.
besides not endorsing the orange menace, she already had 3 strikes against her rwnj campaign going in, race, gender, and religion.
Obviously being an immigrant didn't help in an area full of the descendants of immigrants.
Being black in an area that is only 3.1% black was not an advantage either.
Dodging all but one debate and spending time fundraising in Florida and Washington
was a curious way to sway Long Island residents to her team.
Throw in how miserably she performed in her only debate with TS - Tom got her to admit she was pro choice and she did a piss poor job containing her anger over that slip up.
She's a known opportunist in NY politics, a registered Democrat since 2012 who ran for a Nassua County legislator two years ago, maybe her loyalty to the party was questioned as well.
There are a whole lot of reasons she lost apparently.
The woman is a drop dead gorgeous, mother of 7, over achiever who is looking for something much bigger than a US House seat.
Like Kari Lake she will switch sides and talk out of both sides of her face to get "ahead" and more famous and more air time.
Interesting information.
I never thought she had a chance. She was an unknown who could barely speak English running against someone who had already been a Representative from that district which Biden won by 8 points.
How did the RNC allow that matchup?
She's Kari Lake with an accent?
and a staunch supporter of Israel, Israel right or wrong, her other country.
Awesome result! And it wasn't even close. Another good indicator for November. The Republicans have nothing.
More good news: The Democratic candidate won in the special election in PA today in a purple battleground area which means the Democrats remain in the majority and keep control of the state House.
Since the GOP has nothing, it will mean a Dem majority in the Senate and House and control of the WH.
Going to be harder to blame shit on the GOP if that happens, are you sure that's wise?
No it means a slim majority in Pennsylvania House which doesn't have anything to do with control of the WH.
I figured quoting the part of the comment I responded to was sufficient.
Which has nothing in it about slim majority in Pennsylvania House.
In addition, my comment makes it clear what I responded to.
The rest of this was removed as no value and to keep it from becoming worse by charger
thank-you
And I think this is great.
The GOP is a mess; I do not recognize this party anymore. The speaker is more concerned about vindictive partisan crap than he is on addressing one of the top issues of the American people. The GOP is making a strong case that the D party, in 2024, is more responsible so I applaud their reduction in power (albeit small).
[deleted]
[deleted]
Early voting carried the day. Vote early, vote often.
I haven't seen final numbers on the voting but it appears that turnout was very light due to several issues including the storm.