George Santos Declares Candidacy for Congress

George Santos, the New York Republican expelled from Congress by members of his own party last fall, announced his intention to challenge Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., on Thursday night during the State of the Union.

Democrat Tom Suozzi was elected last month to earn the seat vacated by Santos in New York’s 3^rd Congressional District. Santos is now eyeing LaLota in New York’s 1st District.

“New York hasn’t had a real conservative represent them since I left office arbitrarily, thanks to RINO, empty suits like @nicklalota. He is a willing to risk the future of our majority and the future of this country for his own political gain,” Santos posted on X.

“Tonight, I want to announce that I will be returning to the arena of politics and challenging Nick for the battle over #NY1. 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,” he added.

Santos attended the State of the Union thanks to retaining his privileges to access the House floor despite the December expulsion.

Santos and federal prosecutors are in negotiations on a plea deal on 23 felony charges, including two counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated theft, as he is accused of stealing donors’ identities and charging thousands of dollars in fraudulent transactions on their credit cards.

He’s also accused of lying to Congress about his wealth, receiving unemployment benefits while employed, and using campaign contributions to pay for personal expenses like designer clothing.

Santos was expelled from Congress on Dec. 1 after a 311-114 vote, which included 112 Republicans. The expulsion came after a House Ethics Committee report found “overwhelming evidence” that Santos had broken the law and exploited his public position for his own profit.