Updated Mar 7, 2024, 11:00pm EST
Expelled former Rep. George Santos, who represented New York, revealed during Thursday night’s State of the Union address that he intends to challenge a fellow New York Republican in a House primary. This decision comes just months after Santos faced criminal indictment and subsequent expulsion from the House amid fraud allegations.
KEY FACTS
Santos, who was present at President Joe Biden’s State of the Union, took to Twitter to announce his bid to challenge Rep. Nick LaLota, who represents a House seat on Long Island.
The ousted lawmaker criticized LaLota, accusing him of not representing New York conservatively and claiming that the state lacked a genuine conservative voice since Santos’s expulsion, thanks to Republicans In Name Only (RINOs) like LaLota, who supported Santos’s removal in December. Santos informed Semafor that he plans to file with the Federal Election Commission on Friday and relocate to LaLota’s district, which lies east of the one Santos previously served.
CRUCIAL QUOTE
“I look forward to debating [LaLota] on the issues and on his weak record as a Republican,” Santos stated in a tweet.
CHIEF CRITIC LaLota strongly backed the expulsion of Santos, asserting in an October statement that Santos “deserves to be in prison, not in Congress.” He expressed his determination to defeat Santos as a means of “finishing the job.”
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
New York’s congressional primaries are set for June 25. While the state’s first congressional district typically leans Republican, it is considered a swing seat, potentially impacting GOP efforts to maintain their slim House majority in the upcoming November general election. Democratic contenders include moderate CNN pundit John Avlon.
KEY BACKGROUND
Santos won the congressional seat in 2022 but quickly became embroiled in scandal when it was revealed that he had fabricated many aspects of his background. Federal prosecutors later charged him with various offenses, which Santos vehemently denies. Allegations included deceiving donors into sending money, misrepresenting campaign contributions, misusing donors’ credit cards, and applying for unemployment benefits while employed. Following a bipartisan 311-114 vote, Santos was expelled from the House.
SURPRISING FACT
Since his political career took a downturn, Santos has found a lucrative niche on Cameo, a platform where users can request personalized videos from celebrities. Santos reportedly earned six figures in sales within days of his expulsion, surpassing his congressional salary of $174,000 per year.
TANGENT Following Santos’s expulsion, his congressional seat was reclaimed last month by Rep. Tom Suozzi, a Democrat, in a district previously held by Republicans. Suozzi’s victory further narrowed the GOP’s House majority.