Rep. Santos Says He’s Running in 2024
WASHINGTON — Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., the freshman member of the 118th Congress who came to office dogged by questions about claims he made regarding his past life and career, announced his bid for reelection Monday.
“As a first-generation American, I am no stranger to the issues affecting my district,” he said in an announcement his campaign posted to Twitter.
“I grew up poor with a single mom, and thanks to the American dream, a poor boy of immigrant parents in Queens can grow up to serve his community in the halls of Congress,” Santos said.
Though he is now the subject of multiple investigations, his announcement makes no mention of those inquiries or the alleged lies that led to them.
Instead, he opts for a lengthy, bold, chin-held-high statement, noting that no one believed he’d win his race in New York’s 3rd Congressional District last year.
“‘That’s a safe Biden seat,’ they said. Well, guess what? That D+2, Biden +10 seat I won by 8.5 [percentage] points,” he said. “I not only won, but made history as the first openly gay Republican elected to Congress.”
“I was elected to fulfill my campaign promises of securing our border, lowering the high cost of living, solving the disastrous SALT issue in our tax code, and fighting the Hochul crime crisis of policies empowering criminals to terrorize the people of New York,” Santos continued.
“I have been in office for 100 days, and through legislation and my votes, I’ve already made significant efforts to honor those promises,” he said, adding, “Since the Left is pushing radical agendas, the economy is struggling, and Washington is incapable of solving anything, we need a fighter who know the district and can serve the people fearlessly, and independent of local or national party influence.”
According to the New York Post, Santos declared his bid 17 months ahead of the next congressional election because he believes he can raise $500,000 to $750,000 in the interim.
It was previously reported by CBS and other media outlets that he refunded individual donors a total of $8,353 between Jan. 1 and March 31, a period when he raised only $5,333.
Kellen Curry, a 37-year-old U.S. Air Force veteran, has already declared his intention to challenge Santos in the Republican primary, and at least one Democrat has also entered the race, Nassau County Legislator Josh Lafazan.
Lafazan ran for the seat last year, but eventually lost the 2022 Democratic primary to Robert Zimmerman, who then lost to Santos.
In a written statement issued after Santos’ announcement, Kellen said, “New Yorkers have an opportunity to stand with us and send a loud and clear message from the North Shore of Long Island to our friends in Queens: We Demand Honest Leadership.”
“Honesty, character, and integrity are on the ballot in 2024. Effective representation is on the ballot in 2024. Holding elected officials accountable is on the ballot in 2024,” he said.
Meanwhile Lafazan went so far Monday as to hold a news conference outside Santos’ district office in Douglaston, Queens.
“George Santos is a liar, a fraud and a failure,” he told the reporters who gathered for the event. “New York’s 3rd Congressional District deserves an honest congressman willing to put our district first. Santos must resign now, and end this national embarrassment he created.”
Dan can be reached at [email protected] and @DanMcCue
