New York Democrat Flips Seat in Blow to Republicans

Democrats successfully flipped a GOP congressional seat in New York, fighting off the steady gains that Republicans have made in the district and their immigration attacks amid the state's migrant crisis.

Former U.S. Representative Tom Suozzi won back his House seat in New York's 3rd Congressional District on Tuesday, defeating Republican Mazi Pilip. AP called the race shortly after 10 p.m., with Suozzi receiving 58.7 percent of the vote and Pilip at 41.3 percent. The two were running to fill the vacancy left by expelled Representative George Santos. The race was projected to be a competitive one in a swing district that voted for Joe Biden by 9 points in 2020 but elected Santos in 2022.

But it wasn't just Suozzi and Pilip on the ballot in Tuesday's special election. The influx of migrants in New York also meant residents in the 3rd District, which includes parts of Long Island, were casting a vote on the nation's immigration crisis. Throughout the special election, New York Republicans deployed their national strategy on border security, going after Suozzi for his immigration record and dubbing him "Sanctuary Suozzi."