Former U.S. Congressman George Santos, who was expelled from the House of Representatives in December, announced a new run for public office Thursday — this time for New York’s 1st Congressional District in Suffolk County.
Following President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address Thursday night, Mr. Santos took to the social media website X to declare his bid to unseat 1st District Rep. Nick LaLota’s (R-Amityville) in the June Republican primary.
“I want to announced that I will be returning to the area of politics and challenging Nick for the battle over NY1,” Mr. Santos said in his post. “I look forward to debating him on the issues and on his weak record as a Republican. The fight for our majority is imperative for the survival of the country.”
Mr. Santos has pleaded not guilty to 23 federal felony charges pending against him, including conspiracy, wire fraud, falsification of records, credit card fraud and other alleged crimes. Additionally, a House Ethics report accused him of misusing more than $200,000 in campaign donations on a wide variety of items, including Botox treatments, trips to the Hamptons and interactions on the social media site OnlyFans.
Stories in the North Shore Leader newspapers, followed by The New York Times, have exposed Mr. Santos as having lied about his work and family history, education and a laundry list of other claims that have since proven false.
Mr. Santos next court proceeding is set for August 13 and a federal trial is expected in September.
The disgraced congressman’s former third district representative seat is now held by Rep. Tom Suozzi, who won a special election in February — reclaiming the spot for the Democratic Party.
Mr. LaLota was an outspoken critic of Mr. Santos in Congress and voted alongside 311 representatives to expel him.
“To raise the standard in Congress, and to hold a pathological liar who stole an election accountable, I led the charge to expel George Santos,” Mr. LaLota said in a social media statement. “If finishing the job requires beating him in a primary, count me in.”
Democratic challengers Nancy Goroff and John Avlon are also vying for Mr. LaLota’s congressional seat.
New York’s first congressional district covers two-thirds of eastern Long Island, including the entirety of the North Fork. The New York primary elections are set for Tuesday, June 25.