Former Democratic Representative Tom Suozzi officially declared his candidacy on Saturday for the House seat left vacant following the expulsion of George Santos. Suozzi emphasized his commitment to addressing the “bread-and-butter issues” that are of utmost concern to the majority of Americans.
Background of Suozzi’s Political Career
Earlier this week, New York Democrats nominated Suozzi to run in the special election. Suozzi previously represented an earlier version of New York’s 3rd Congressional District, located on the North Shore of Long Island, for three terms. He vacated this seat to mount an unsuccessful primary challenge against New York Governor Kathy Hochul last year. According to New York’s special election rules, the county party leaders in the district select the nominees. Governor Hochul has scheduled the special election to fill Santos’ former seat for February 13.
Anticipated Announcement Following Santos’ Expulsion
Suozzi’s announcement was not unexpected. He had entered the race in October to challenge Santos in 2024, prior to the Republican congressman’s expulsion. The district and its earlier versions had been represented by Democrats for a long time until Santos’ unexpected victory in an open-seat race in 2022. Santos had previously lost to Suozzi by a significant margin two years earlier.
Suozzi’s Campaign Focus
Addressing a small crowd in a Long Island backyard, Suozzi outlined the key issues his campaign will focus on. These include the rising cost of living, immigration, the threats posed by climate change, and fears driven by the wars in Ukraine and between Israel and Hamas. Suozzi stressed the need to rekindle the American dream that once powered its working-class suburbs.
“I’ll work hard, and in return for working hard I’ll make enough money so I can buy a place to live, I can educate my kids, I can have health insurance and I can retire one day without being scared, that’s the American dream,” Suozzi said. “People are concerned that the American dream won’t work for them,” he added.
Call for Bipartisanship
Furthermore, Suozzi called for an end to the increasing polarization in American politics. He urged for more cooperation and less finger-pointing and partisanship. He pledged to work with anyone willing to collaborate to solve the problems that people face, emphasizing the need for more of such cooperation in the country.
Republican Nominee Yet to be Announced
Republican leaders in Queens and Nassau counties have not yet announced their nominee. The expulsion of Santos has heightened the stakes for the GOP in 2024 as they aim to maintain their slim majority in the House.