Former US Representative George Santos seems to have a hard time knowing when the door has slammed behind him.
One of the most scandal-ridden politicians in decades, he was expelled from Congress in December 2023 by a 311-114 vote for allegations of fraud and misuse of campaign funds. He has pleaded not guilty to charges including deceiving Congress about his wealth, stealing from his campaign and obtaining unemployment benefits he didn’t deserve.
But his bravado never wavered, he swore he would be back and in order to make that happen, he switched his party affiliation and constituency, running as an independent, and no longer for the 3rd Congressional District, but for the 1st. His initial switch from the Republican Party to an independent candidacy was prompted by his dissatisfaction with the party’s actions, particularly the passing of a large spending bill.
But reality has finally come calling, even for someone as obstinately blind and boastful as Santos.
On Tuesday (Apr 23) Santos posted on X, “I have decided to withdraw from my independent run”.
According to AP, his change of mind about a new run for Congress comes after the former congressman’s campaign committee reported zero fundraising or expenditures last month (March).
While most people would understand this as a resounding failure to garner support for a second run, Santos puts a different spin on it, wanting to appear instead as magnanimous and disinterested. In his X post, Santos said, “I don’t want my run to be portrayed as reprisal against Nick Lalota… Although Nick and I don’t have the same voting record and I remain critical of his abysmal record, I don’t want to split the ticket and be responsible for handing the house to Dems…”
“Staying in this race all but guarantees a victory for the Dems in the race,” he added.
Nick LaLota is the GOP primary candidate for the eastern Long Island congressional district, that is, New York’s 1st congressional district.
Also typical for Santos, in his post, he made clear that the withdrawal is only for “THIS YEAR!”
“The future holds countless possibilities, and I am ready, willing and able to step up to the plate and go fight for my country at any time,” he said.
“I will continue to participate in the public policy discussion and will do my part… I will always strive to stand on the right side of history.” He concluded, “It’s only goodbye for now, I’ll be back” .
For many New Yorkers, that registers more as a threat than a promise.
