Democrats Flip George Santos’ Former House Seat In Special Election That Garners National Media Attention

Democrats flipped George Santos’ former congressional seat tonight, narrowing Republicans’ House majority in a special election that got an unusual amount of attention from national media.

Thomas Suozzi, who formerly held the seat, defeated Republican Mazi Pilip, the Associated Press projected.

Cable news networks covered the special election as if it were a bellwether for the November election, as Republicans sought to retain the seat by elevating the issue of immigration and the border as the top concern in the race. The district covers Queens and Nassau counties.

CNN dispatched correspondents to local precincts and carried live the results of the counting from individual ballot machines. MSNBC also provided comprehensive coverage with Steve Kornacki’s voter breakdown, and Fox News’ Hannity featured a box telling viewers that they were monitoring the results.

Santos, the former occupant of the seat, provided his own analysis on X/Twitter, writing “-1” after the race was called. Santos was expelled from the House in December after a devastating House Ethics Committee report on his campaign finances. He already had gained fame for his wild embellishments and lies about his resume and experience.