U.S. Representative George Santos (R-NY) walks to a series of votes including a vote to expel him from the House of Representatives, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., December 1, 2023.
Leah Millis | Reuters
Democratic party officials in New York will hold a meeting tonight with at least three potential candidates to replace former GOP Rep. George Santos, who was expelled from the House Friday.
The meeting is a “screening process” to help party officials decide who will have the best chance at flipping the seat from red to blue, Nassau County Democratic Party chairman Jay Jacobs told CNBC.
Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., chairman of the Queens Democratic Party, plans to attend, said Jacobs. Former Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi will also be there. Suozzi held this seat until he left to run for governor and Santos replaced him.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has 10 days to announce the date of a special election for Santos’ sea, representing New York’s 3rd congressional district. The vote is expected in late February.
Santos’ expulsion shrunk the Republicans’ already slim House majority, and gave Democrats a good chance to flip the seat in February and further weaken the GOP’s hold on the chamber.
The Cook Political Report already labels the seat a toss up. But Santos was expelled over alleged campaign finance violations and other ethics issues, giving Democrats an even stronger chance of flipping the seat because voters tend to select the other party when a lawmaker leaves under a cloud.
Since Santos’ New York seat touched both Queens and Nassau County in New York, both Meeks and Jacobs will be responsible for selecting the Democrat who will run. County leaders from each party select and internally vote for candidates that will participate in the the special election, according to New York election law. Jacobs said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. and Gov. Kathy Hochul will be consulted before a decision is officially made.
“We [Jacobs and Meeks] are both committed to finding the best candidate. We don’t want George Santos’ brother as our candidate,” Jacobs quipped.
The Queens Democratic Party and a spokeswoman for Meeks did not return emails seeking comment.
The screening process at the Friday meeting will include questions about whether they will be able to raise enough money to compete and win back the district, according to Jacobs.
Suozzi has been in touch with Jacobs before Santos was expelled, pitching himself as that potential selected candidate for a special election contest.
“I’ve heard from him. I wouldn’t say that it’s constant or often but he’s made his interest very clear. But I’ve heard from a number of other candidates and some more than I’ve heard from him,” Jacobs said without disclosing the names of the other contenders.
A spokeswoman for Suozzi declined to comment about the meeting and referred CNBC to Suozzi’s tweet on the expulsion.