Republicans had New Yorkers lead the way in expelling Santos. Will it help them keep the majority?

WASHINGTON — George Santos is gone from the House, but his name is certain to pop up in key congressional races across New York next year. Democrats are targeting five seats held by first-term Republicans and looking to associate them with their former colleague in the state’s congressional delegation as often as they can.

How successful Democrats are in that effort could help determine which party holds the majority in the House in 2025.

The strategy of association was evident as Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York castigated Republicans in comments leading up to Santos’ expulsion on Friday.

“Look, House Republicans knew a lot about George Santos before he was elected. And we have reason to believe either intentionally kept that information out of the public domain or willfully turned a blind eye,” Jeffries said. “And then, when the information exploded into the public domain, continue to coddle George Santos and play footsie with him for the better part of the year.”

The concern about Santos possibly tainting other Republican members’ standing with voters was evident as New Yorkers made themselves front and center in the drive to expel Santos.

Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, a Republican whose district borders Santos’ district, offered the expulsion legislation so that it had to be acted on within two days, even though it had been authored by a Mississippi lawmaker, GOP Rep. Michael Guest, chairman of the House Ethics Committee.

Those watching D’Esposito read the resolution on television saw Rep. Nick LaLota sitting to his left and Rep. Mike Lawler sitting directly behind him. Both are first-term lawmakers from New York whose districts favored Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Biden carried D’Esposito’s district by more than 14 percentage points.