Staff Reports
Former New York congressman George Santos is waving goodbye to the 2024 Congressional race, at least for the time being. Santos, who previously represented New York’s 3rd District, made the decision to bow out of the race to avoid splintering the vote and potentially helping the Democrats regain control of the House. He had initially put his Republican bid on hold and had even left the party altogether, deeming the GOP’s spending deal as “embarrassing.” After failing to raise any funds in March, he ultimately pulled out of the race entirely.
Santos made it clear that his exit from the race is not meant to be seen as a revenge plot against Nick LaLota, his opponent in the election. He emphasized that while they have differing voting records and he remains critical of LaLota’s performance, he doesn’t want to divide the votes and inadvertently assist the Democrats in winning the election.
🚨Announcement!
I have decided to withdraw from my independent run for #NY1…
I don’t want my run to be portrayed as reprisal against Nick Lalota… Although Nick and I don’t have the same voting record and I remain critical of his abysmal record, I don’t want to split the…
— George Santos (@MrSantosNY) April 23, 2024
It’s important to note that Santos faced backlash last year which led to his ousting from Congress. An Ethics Committee report found significant evidence of misconduct, including filing false reports to the Federal Election Commission and misusing campaign funds for personal expenses. This tarnished his reputation among fellow New York Republicans, including Representative Nick LaLota, who actively supported the move to remove Santos from office.
With House Republicans holding a slim majority, LaLota, who is considered vulnerable, will face Democrat John Avlon in the upcoming primary. Santos’ decision to drop out of the race has stirred reactions among other Republicans, with one New York Republican suggesting that Santos’ withdrawal may be a sign of impending legal trouble.
Even though Santos has stepped away from the current political battleground, he hinted at a potential comeback in the future, stating that he will continue to engage in policy discussions and remain prepared to “fight for his country” whenever the opportunity arises. He assured his supporters that this is not a permanent farewell, confidently asserting, “It’s only goodbye for now, I’ll be back.”
