The Republican Party is solely responsible for the flipping of the congressional seat previously occupied by ex-Rep. George Santos (R-NY). Former Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi emerged victorious in a highly anticipated special election for the vacant House seat, which was previously held by Santos before his expulsion from the chamber in December. The Associated Press has projected Suozzi’s triumph over Republican county lawmaker Mazi Pilip, allowing him to reclaim his former position.
“Who knows what she really stands for? She’s George Santos 2.0. It’s the exact same nontransparent, phony baloney, just trying to get votes instead of saying what you really think,” Suozzi charged on the eve of the election.
Pilip had maintained a certain distance from the previous president throughout a significant portion of the campaign; however, she eventually confessed to casting her vote in his favor during the year 2020. Additionally, she displayed some uncertainty regarding her stance on the pro-life issue.
“There’s two Democrats on the ballot, and the option is do we get a Democrat or a Democrat-Republican-lite version of a Democrat,” Santos told CNN as the reason for his not voting. “I will not bring myself to vote for a registered Democrat, period. It’s just against what I believe in.”
President Trump took to social media to scold the GOP’s choices:
“Republicans just don’t learn, but maybe she was still a Democrat? I have an almost 99% Endorsement Success Rate in Primaries, and a very good number in the General Elections, as well, but just watched this very foolish woman, Mazi Melesa Pilip, running in a race where she didn’t endorse me and tried to “straddle the fence,” when she would have easily WON if she understood anything about MODERN DAY politics in America. MAGA, WHICH IS MOST OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, STAYED HOME – AND IT ALWAYS WILL, UNLESS IT IS TREATED WITH THE RESPECT THAT IT DESERVES. I STAYED OUT OF THE RACE, “I WANT TO BE LOVED!” GIVE US A REAL CANDIDATE IN THE DISTRICT FOR NOVEMBER. SUOZZI, I KNOW HIM WELL, CAN BE EASILY BEATEN!”
