A large part of Democrats' strategy comes down to familiarity with their candidate

Progressive activists with MoveOn display a 15-foot inflatable of George Santos as they call for his expulsion from Congress on Capitol Hill November 28, 2023 in Washington D.C.

Once Republican Rep. George Santos was voted out of Congress, it officially kicked off — albeit a year earlier than anticipated — the high-stakes race to replace the disgraced congressman.

It’s been roughly a month since Santos was ousted from his congressional seat, New York’s third congressional district, which he flipped from blue to red during the 2022 midterm elections. But in the short time since he was removed from office, both Democrats and Republicans have announced their chosen candidate to run in the special election set for Feb. 13: Former Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi and Republican state Legislator Mazi Melesa Pilip.

Democrats already announced they were targeting this seat ahead of the 2024 election long before Santos was forced out. It’s a traditional battleground district where even though Santos was representing it, President Joe Biden won it by 8 points in the 2020 election. Although Republicans currently hold the majority in the House, Democrats only need to net five additional seats in order to flip the lower chamber.

Now, national Democrats view this special election as an opportunity to kick-start what they hope to be a blue wave in New York, where there are several critical swing seats that could help the party flip the House during next year’s election. If they are able to win NY–03 during the February special election, that only helps their efforts in winning at least one of those five districts during the 2024 cycle.

For Democrats, it appears a large part of the strategy comes down to familiarity with their candidate and name ID, as Suozzi previously represented the district before Santos, but did not run for reelection in 2022.

This strategy was apparent in the statements from various Democrats and their organizations after Suozzi was made the nominee.

In a statement announcing Suozzi as the Democratic nominee, Nassau County and New York State Democratic Chair Jay Jacobs, along with Queens County Democratic Chair, Rep. Gregory Meeks, praised the former congressman for his “proven record of fighting for his constituents.” The statement added that they “look forward to working with the Suozzi Campaign, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to restore integrity, competence and a focus on the real needs of our larger community in the Third Congressional District.”

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Similarly, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Suzan DelBen said in a statement after his nomination that Suozzi “has a proven record of results and is in a strong position to bring much-needed leadership back to these communities to lower costs, improve public safety, and restore trust.”

One Democratic strategist told The Messenger that although people “may not love” Suozzi, voters “know who he is,” and “they know that he gets the job done for them.”

“Voters probably want to see someone they know and trust and that they know is not going to make these crazy headlines, like, every other day,” the strategist added.

Still, Democrats have been on the offensive when it comes to the Republican nominee, including pushing out press releases and statements bashing Pilip and associating her with former President Donald Trump, who lost in the district to Biden in 2020.

“As Mazi Pilip doubles down on her refusal to denounce Trump and his MAGA agenda, she’s a spitting image of her ‘great friend’ and predecessor George Santos’s antics of dodging accountability,” House Majority PAC New York Press Secretary Alisha Heng said in one statement. “While Mazi Pilip continues to evade New Yorkers, she will be swiftly rejected by the voters of NY-03 in February.”

But despite Democrats’ attacks, Republicans appear optimistic about their nominee.

“Mazi Pilip is a formidable candidate with a unique biography: a former IDF paratrooper and mother of seven. Mazi’s incredible life of service stands in stark contrast to career politician Tom Suozzi, who uses his office to make life better for himself instead of his community,” said National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson in a statement after her nomination.

“With Mazi in Congress, Long Islanders will have a representative who stands up to the extreme Hochul-Suozzi agenda making New York less safe and more expensive,” his statement continued.

According to one Republican strategist who works on House races, Pilip is a “fresh face” with ties to the community due to her time as a state legislator. “She already has a history of flipping a blue seat to red,” they added.

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Democrats Look To Kick-Start New York Wins With Santos’ Seat Special Election