George Santos is gone from Congress, but his disastrous tenure will not be forgotten by party leaders as they prepare for what is expected to be a fiercely contested and expensive special election to replace him in New York’s 3rd Congressional District.
Voters will not have a say in choosing the nominees; under New York’s special election rules, they will be selected by the county party leaders. The contest is expected to be slated for late February, with details to come from the office of Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, who is charged by law with setting the dates.
Covering parts of Queens and Nassau counties, the district had been represented by Democrats for a decade before Santos’ surprising victory in 2022. The seat became open after former Rep. Tom Suozzi’s decided to challenge Hochul in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. Suozzi lost that race badly, but is now running for his old job and is now considered the favorite for the Democratic nomination for the special election. Republicans have a longer list of potential candidates to consider, with more than 20 people likely to be granted interviews, according to Nassau County GOP spokesman Mike Deery.
The special election in what is now a battleground district is already being discussed as a key bellwether ahead of the November general election. That it will take place during a key stretch of the Republican presidential primary is not expected to dampen spending or interest, given New York’s crucial role in determining the fate of the GOP’s slender House majority. The largest House Democratic super PAC has already announced plans to spend big on the race.
“House Majority PAC plans to play a significant role in the NY-03 special election,” Mike Smith, its president, told CNN. “We will do whatever it takes to flip this district blue.”
Santos was one of four Republicans in and around…
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