Democrat Tom Suozzi flips GOP House seat in special election to replace George Santos

Democratic candidate Tom Suozzi won the special election to replace former Rep. George Santos (R-NY) in New York’s 3rd Congressional District, dealing a blow to House Republicans and reducing their already-slim majority to just two seats. 

The Associated Press called the race in Suozzi’s favor just over an hour after the polls closed at 9 p.m., leading Republican challenger Mazi Pilip by 17.4 points with 52% of the vote tallied. The result brings an end to a contentious campaign that attracted nationwide attention as it offered Democrats an opportunity to pick up a key House seat months before the November election. 

Suozzi’s victory puts him in a stronger position to hold the seat when he’s on the ballot again in November. Suozzi previously served in Congress before forgoing reelection in 2022 to run unsuccessfully for governor.