CBS News has declared that Tom Suozzi has won the special election for the 3rd Congressional District seat in New York, previously held by George Santos.
According to CBS News, it has been projected that a former Democratic Representative will…Tom Suozzi will defeat Republican Nassau County legislator Mazi Pilip
On Tuesday, there was a special election held to complete the remaining term of former Republican Representative George Santos. indicted on charges including credit card fraud and aggravated identity theft, and
I was removed from the legislative body known as Congress. in December.
As of the latest report from 87% of precincts, Suozzi was leading the competition for the 3rd Congressional District position with 54% of the votes, while the opposing candidate had 45%.
During a speech to his followers on Long Island Tuesday evening, Suozzi promised to communicate with those in charge of Congress, urging them to shift their focus from Trump to effectively governing the nation.
According to CBS News in New York, Pilip’s beliefs are in line with those of the Republican Party. She stated that she did not cast a vote in any elections from 2016 to 2020 and does not endorse a country-wide ban on abortion. Pilip strongly advocates for the support of Israel.
The balance of power in the House of Representatives, specifically in the third district of New York.
Currently, there are 219 Republicans and 212 Democrats in the House, along with four vacant seats. This means that in a full vote, the Republican party can only afford to lose three votes and still maintain a majority. In the previous week, the President in the House of Representatives
The GOP in the House of Representatives were unsuccessful in their attempt to impeach the President. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas
Due to the absence of Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who was receiving cancer treatment, and the loss of three votes, the outcome was affected.
If Suozzi wins, it would limit the Republicans’ margin of error to only two votes.
The moderate tendencies of the New York seat could serve as an indicator for Democrats’ potential success in regaining control of the House during the upcoming November election.
Both Democrats and Republicans have invested large sums of money in the election, flooding the television airwaves with advertisements. Suozzi and Democratic groups have spent a total of $13.8 million on advertising, with $6 million coming from the House Majority PAC. On the other side, Pilip and Republican groups have spent $8.1 million on ads.
According to the Nassau County Board of Elections, early voting saw a slight advantage for Democrats, with 24,000 Democratic voters, 19,876 Republican voters, and 11,468 unaffiliated voters submitting their ballots.
Could the snowstorm impact voter participation?
The number of people who attended on Tuesday could have been influenced by a snowstorm in the vicinity. The storm brought more snow than the previous two years and resulted in several school districts closing.
Here are some of the biggest factors at play in the race:
Where is NY-03?
The region covers suburban Nassau County and a section of northern Queens within New York City. Referred to as the “Gold Coast” due to its opulent mansions and affluent inhabitants, this location is famously portrayed in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, “The Great Gatsby.”
It had been a longtime Democratic stronghold — President Biden won it by 8 points in 2020, and that year, Santos lost to Suozzi, who had represented parts of the district since 2016. But New York’s congressional districts were
The 2022 election is being redrawn in advance.
The district has undergone changes that have made it more welcoming to Republicans. In the 2022 midterm elections, Long Island stood out as one of the few areas where the GOP had success, with all four congressional districts electing Republican representatives.
state
The previous state of Rep. George Santos
the election results
Santos defeated Democrat Robert Zimmerman in the district with 54% of the vote, compared to Zimmerman’s 46%. The New York Times stated that they were unable to confirm certain aspects of the election outcome before Santos assumed office in January 2023.his life story
He confessed that his education and employment background had been exaggerated. In addition, he had made false claims to voters about being “Jew-ish” and his grandparents’ experiences during the Holocaust, which were later proven to be untrue.
He faced allegations of committing federal offenses. Eventually, federal prosecutors pressed charges against him.
of fraud
He was accused of committing 23 counts of fraud.
Santos has been charged with committing fraud, conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft.pleaded not guilty.
Santos survived two expulsion votes, but on the third attempt, the House expelled him in December.
The special election
In accordance with New York’s unique election regulations, the candidates for a special election are chosen by the parties rather than through a primary election. The Democrats have chosen Suozzi as their nominee, citing his extensive experience in the district. At 61 years old, Suozzi has been in elected positions since the mid-1990s, serving as mayor of Glen Cove in Nassau County, followed by roles as Nassau County executive and three-term member of Congress, winning his first election in 2016.
The Republican party opted for a different approach, selecting Pilip as their candidate for the seat out of the 25 Republicans running. Pilip is a 44-year-old newcomer, who was elected to the Nassau County Legislature in 2021.
What is the reason for the high level of attention from the national political parties towards this competition?
The upcoming election this fall is being viewed by both Republicans and Democrats as a preliminary examination for the general election. The focus of the race has been heavily influenced by national politics. Both Suozzi and Pilip have attempted to connect their opponent to prominent national issues, particularly immigration and crime.
According to Brian Browne, a professor of political science at St. John’s University in Queens, individuals are driven by their identification with the Democratic or Republican party.
New York is facing a significant issue with the influx of migrants, and the Department of Social Services has stated that the city has been greatly impacted.157,000 migrants
For a period of 18 months, Pilip, who is supported by the Border Patrol Union, holds the White House and Democrats, including Suozzi, responsible for the crisis. Suozzi has attempted to separate himself from the national Democratic party and has taken a strong stance on border protection.
The election has also been influenced by crime, with Pilip, who is supported by multiple police unions, strongly criticizing Suozzi and the Democratic party on this topic.
latest debate,
Suozzi is attempting to associate Pilip with the Republican stance on abortion, despite Pilip’s stated opposition to a federal ban on abortion. During their most recent debate,debate
Last week, Pilip, a mother of seven, expressed her stance as “pro-life” but also acknowledged that the decision to have an abortion is a personal one.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas is also a factor in the current race. According to the American Jewish Population Project, which is part of Brandeis University’s Steinhardt Social Research Institute, the third Congressional District in New York has a Jewish population of 21%, making it the district with the third highest proportion of Jewish residents in the country.
Pilip moved to Israel at the age of 12 and joined the IDF as a paratrooper. She gained dual citizenship after marrying her husband, a Ukrainian-American doctor. Israel holds a significant place in her personal narrative. Both Suozzi and Pilip have placed great emphasis on connecting with the Jewish community.
What is the duration of the winner’s term in Congress?
The victor of this competition will solely serve the district for the remainder of Santos’ term. This indicates that there will be another voting process in November, and the winner of Tuesday’s competition will only hold a seat in Congress until January 3, 2025. A primary will be held on June 25 to select the candidates for the general election in November. Suozzi has already stated his intention to run, while Pilip has not yet announced her decision to run.
How did Santos’ presence impact the race?
Even though Santos is no longer involved in politics, his presence still heavily influences the race. During the debate, Suozzi connected Pilip to Santos.
He stated, “The person I am facing has not been properly screened or equipped for this.” He added, “We have already been through this situation with George Santos. We cannot repeat the same mistake.”
Pilip attempted to create separation between herself and Santos, despite being involved in his campaign together in 2022.
During an interview for “The Point with Marcia Kramer,” citizens informed CBS NY’s Kramer that Santos has negatively represented the district.
“Why bother voting if someone like that is going to be chosen?” another voter asked.
Caroline Linton
Source: cbsnews.com