George Santos mounts third-party bid for Congress

Former Rep. George Santos said Friday he will mount an independent, third-party bid against Rep. Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.), rather than run in the Republican primary.

Why it matters: Should Santos get the signatures to make it on the ballot, he could siphon off GOP votes from LaLota in a swing district that could help decide the House majority.

Santos would have just a couple months to secure 3,500 signatures in a district he's never represented.

What he's saying: "After today's embarrassing showing in the house I have reflected and decided that I can no longer be part of the Republican Party," Santos said in a post on X.

The post came just after the House passed a $1.2 trillion spending bill reviled by the House's right-wing hardliners.

"I am officially suspending my petitioning in [NY-01] to access the ballot as a Republican and will be filling to run as an independent," Santos said.