Former U.S. Rep. George Santos, who was expelled from Congress in December and is facing federal charges of defrauding donors to his 2022 campaign, has announced his candidacy for the House once again. Santos, a Republican, is the sixth member in history to be ousted by fellow House members.
He revealed his decision to run for office again in a post on social media, where he stated his intention to challenge Republican Rep. Nick LaLota in New York's 1st Congressional District on Long Island. This district differs from the one Santos previously represented before his expulsion.
Santos made this announcement following his attendance at President Joe Biden's State of the Union address, where he interacted with former colleagues who had voted to remove him from Congress based on a scathing report by the House Ethics Committee.
Despite previously indicating that he would not seek elective office again, Santos shared that after prayer and discussions with friends and family, he decided to enter the political arena once more and challenge LaLota in the upcoming Republican primary in June.
LaLota, who played a significant role in the expulsion of Santos, responded to the news by expressing his willingness to compete against Santos in the primary.
Following Santos' expulsion, Democrat Tom Suozzi, who had previously held the seat Santos won in 2022 but vacated to pursue an unsuccessful gubernatorial bid, reclaimed the district in a special election held last month.
Santos has acknowledged providing false information about his job experience and educational background during his previous campaign. He has pleaded not guilty to various charges, including deceiving Congress about his financial status, unlawfully obtaining unemployment benefits, and misusing campaign funds for personal expenses such as luxury clothing.
A trial for Santos has been tentatively scheduled for September, after the primary elections.
