New York holds special election to replace George Santos

What happens in Tuesday’s New York special election will be felt across the political spectrum. The victory of Republican Nassau County Assemblywoman Maji Pilip is a major shock to the party, giving it a strategy to replicate policies harshly criticizing immigrants and Biden in battleground districts and states across the country.

But former Democratic Congressman Tom Suozzi’s victory would be a major step for Democrats as they aim to regain the majority. A handful of seats held by freshman Republicans in New York state will be at the center of the fight for control of Congress in the fall. Republicans hold the smallest majority.

But even though President Biden won New York’s 3rd Congressional District by 8 points, turnout in the special election is expected to be significantly lower, making it unclear which party will have an advantage.

Additionally, the Nassau County Republican Party is widely considered to be a well-organized political machine, which could be an important boost for Mr. Pillip. And the diverse district has a strong group of independent voters and working-class Democrats, a mix of voters who have long led Republicans to success in local elections.

Additionally, Pilip, a 44-year-old Ethiopian-born Israeli immigrant who served in the Israel Defense Forces, presented a unique challenge for Democrats. Pillip, who has been a member of the county council since 2021, is not well known throughout the district. And despite being selected by local party leaders as the Republican candidate in the special election, Pilip is registered as a Democrat.

But the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s first ad attacking Pilip labeled her a “MAGA handpick,” which sources said irritated Suozzi and her allies. . The reason: Democratic critics were concerned about her giving credibility to the Republican base and energizing Trump supporters in a low-turnout election.