Tom Suozzi poised to win special election to fill George Santos' former House seat

Feb. 13 (UPI) -- Former Rep. Tom Suozzi was poised Tuesday night to win a special election in New York to fill the U.S. House seat left vacant after former GOP Rep. George Santos was expelled from Congress.

Suozzi, a Democrat who held the same seat representing the state's 3rd congressional district for three terms, bested Republican Mazi Melesa Pilip, who serves as a Nassau County lawmaker.

Unofficial results from the state show that as of late Tuesday, Suozzi had secured more than 91,000 votes, representing nearly 54% of all votes cast, to Pilip's roughly 68,800 votes for 46%.

"Despite all the attacks, despite all the lies about Tom Suozzi and the squad, about Tom Suozzi being the godfather of the migrant crisis, about sanctuary Suozzi, despite the dirty tricks, despite the vaunted Nassau County Republican machine, we won!" he told supporters late Tuesday.

"This race was fought amidst a closely divided electorate, much like our whole country. This race was centered on immigration and the economy, much like the issues all across our country. We won this race ... because we addressed the issues and we found a way to bind our divisions."

Suozzi regained the U.S. House seat for a region that has transformed into more of a swing district. President Joe Biden won the district in 2020, but independents have leaned more conservative in 2022 with the influx of immigrants into the Long Island area of Nassau County.

Suozzi, a former Nassau County executive, was part of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus when he served in the House from 2016 to 2022, and he had hoped those moderate credentials would serve him well in the purple district.

Pilip, a registered Democrat, was elected by Republicans for her strong support for Israel and on the strength of winning local Nassau County elections in 2021 and last year.

A native of Ethiopia, Pilip served in the Israel Defense Forces after her family moved to Israel and before eventually migrating to the United States. She has focused on fighting crime and anti-Semitism while serving as a Nassau County legislator.

The race drew national attention with the GOP holding a razor-thin edge in the House, currently standing at 219 Republicans and 212 Democrats.

On Tuesday night, former President Donald Trump, who is running for re-election, chastised Pilip after her election loss.

"Republicans just don't learn," he said in a statement on his Truth Social platform, while calling her a "very foolish woman." He blamed her election defeat on not courting his extreme-right supporters.

"MAGA, which is most of the Republican Party, stayed home -- and it always will, unless it is treated with the respect that it deserves."

What is not known is how long Santos' shadow will be in the election. Santos flipped the seat red for Republicans in 2022 but was hit immediately with charges that he lied extensively about this background and resume.

He was eventually driven out of Congress in connection with a highly critical House ethics report and investigations into his campaign financing, which became an embarrassment for Republicans.