Tom Suozzi enters race for George Santos' congressional seat

BROOKLYN (CN) — Former U.S. Representative Tom Suozzi announced Tuesday he will run for his old seat, which is currently occupied by the embattled Republican Representative George Santos.

“I’ve never sat on the sidelines,” Suozzi said in a statement. “From the cost-of-living (sic) to immigration, crime, climate change, combating terrorism in the Middle East and globally, and simply helping people, we need more common sense and compassion and less chaos and senseless fighting.”

The Long Island Democrat was first elected to Congress in 2016. Last November, while Suozzi made an ultimately unsuccessful run for governor, Santos won the seat, beating Democrat Robert Zimmerman. Later that month, it was revealed Santos fabricated major portions of his life story, including his education and employment history.

Santos faces a 13-count federal indictment for 13 criminal counts including wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and lying to Congress. He has pleaded not guilty.

The congressman says his former treasurer, Nancy Marks, was responsible for his unexplained finances: She pleaded guilty last week to one felony count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and admitted to falsely reporting campaign donations and reporting false loans made by Santos.

“The madness in Washington … and the absurdity of George Santos remaining in the United States Congress is obvious to everyone,” Suozzi wrote.

“Together we can bring some sanity and reason back to Washington,” he added.

Suozzi said he’s gearing up for a formal campaign kickoff after the local elections in November.

He will likely face a crowded field for Santos’ seat in New York’s Third Congressional District. Amid speculation that Santos’ legal trouble may push him out of office before he can run as an incumbent, several other Democrats are vying to be the party’s nominee.

Nonprofit founder Zak Malamed announced his bid most recently, making him the fourth Democrat to do so.

Also in the running are Nassau lawmaker Josh Lafazan, who came in third in last year’s Democratic primary; former state Senator Anna Kaplan; and St. John’s University law professor William Murphy. On the Republican side, Afghanistan war veteran Kellen Curry announced in April he would be running against Santos.

Kaplan criticized Suozzi’s bid to retake his former seat.

“After almost a year of this district having embarrassing representation, Tom Suozzi thinks voters on Long Island have forgotten that he abandoned us to George Santos,” Kaplan said in a statement.

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