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Nobody really expected Republicans to hold on to the seat vacated by disgraced lawmaker George Santos. He held a really blue district to start with, in New York. While a Democrat won the slot, as feared, Tom Suozzi is considered one of those rare and endangered creatures… a “centrist” Democrat In Name Only DINO.
Santos’ seat flips blue
On Tuesday, February 13, the special election to replace ousted Republican George Santos was held and the empty seat went to Democrat Tom Suozzi. The GOP holds a really slim majority in the House and it just got a little thinner.
The good news is that it’s not a total disaster. Anything which upsets Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez can’t be all bad.
Republican Mike Lawler was quick to announce that “he was not concerned” about his own prospects for reelection. He happens to also represent the same 17th congressional district as Santos and Suozzi. His seat isn’t in jeopardy.
Tom Suozzi's @RepTomSuozzi move to the far right of @TheDemocrats has member of #FourWomenOfTheApocalypse (TheSquad) @AOC worried
With her blatantly demonstrated stupidity, she should be worried and needs to get back into bartender form https://t.co/GCIDHAuguy
— Scott Hendricks (@ConservativeAd5) February 15, 2024
He has a simple explanation for the not-unexpected outcome. It’s a special election.
Lawler and Santos were both swept into office by “a 2022 wave of Republican candidates who defeated Democrats in congressional districts that favored President Biden and that were represented by Democrats in Congress.”
They were fed up with the crime. He doesn’t expect to lose his seat in November because his constituents love him.
He ran to the right
The only way an actual Democrat was able to win a seat in the nominally Democrat district was to act like a republican. Voters felt safer approving a conservative with a reassuring “D” after their name on the ballot.
“Tom Suozzi ran a good campaign. He ran to the right, and he’s somebody who has presented himself as a centrist over the course of his 30 years,” Lawler acknowledges.
“So I’m not concerned about how this plays out in districts like mine. Any number of polls show me doing very well, and my favorability is 29 points higher in my district than the generic Republican.”
*SEE IT:* A Pro Hamas supporter was literally thrown off the stage during Democrat Tom Suozzi's victory speech. This is how to deal with pro Hamas gangs. pic.twitter.com/xXH1C6hJ8L
— neveragainlivepodcast@gmail.com (@neveragainlive1) February 15, 2024
The seat he holds wasn’t harmed in any way by the Santos scandal.
Another dimension to this particular race is that Suozzi is a familiar name to the voters of that district. “Suozzi represented the district before he decided not to run for reelection, instead opting to launch a failed primary challenge against Democratic New York Governor Kathy Hochul.”
Santos only got the seat in the first place because Suozzi wasn’t running for it. Another point in his favor, he’s against the unchecked immigration, “an issue traditionally seen as stronger for Republicans.“
