New York Democrats are betting on former Rep. Tom Suozzi to flip the newly vacant seat recently held by disgraced former Republican Rep. George Santos from red back to blue.
Nassau County and state Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs and Queens County Democratic Party Chair Rep. Greg Meeks announced the decision in a Thursday afternoon press release, touting Suozzi’s deep roots in the 3rd Congressional District, which spans parts of northeast Queens and Long Island.
Suozzi previously held the seat for three terms before giving it up to run unsuccessfully against Gov. Kathy Hochul in the Democratic primary in 2022.
“Tom Suozzi has a proven record of fighting for his constituents, fighting to safeguard our suburban way of life here on Long Island and Queens and always advocating for sensible solutions to the real challenges affecting everyday average Americans,” Jacobs and Meeks said in a joint statement.
Shortly after the announcement, Suozzi shared a statement on social media that stressed his commitment to the district and what he believes is at stake in the upcoming special election.
“The folks from Massapequa and Levittown to the North Shore of Nassau to northeast Queens deserve better,” Suozzi said on X, formerly known as Twitter. “I will work day and night with both parties to deliver for the people, to make living here more affordable, safer and better.”
“I delivered for this district before, and I will do it again by putting you ahead of partisanship,” he added.
Anna Kaplan, a former state senator who had been running to represent the district, said in a statement on Thursday afternoon that she would suspend her campaign and throw her support behind Suozzi.
“We need to start 2024 off right, and that means electing Tom Suozzi to flip this seat and get Democrats closer to the majority,” she said.
Still, Suozzi’s bid comes with some baggage.
His frosty relationship with Hochul was well known among state Democrats after last year’s bitter primary,…
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