Nassau County GOP Nominates County Legislator and IDF Veteran to Run for Santos’ Seat

New York Republicans have nominated Mazi Melesa Pilip to run in the February 13 special election for the House seat vacated by former Rep. George Santos.

The Details: Pilip, who was born in Ethiopia, is a Nassau County legislator and veteran of the Israeli Defense Forces who immigrated to the U.S. in 2005. She will run against the Democratic nominee, former Rep. Tom Suozzi. Pilip has been a registered Democrat since 2012 but won Nassau County Legislature elections as a Republican in 2021 and 2023.

For Context: Santos was expelled in a historic vote on December 1 after an ethics report said he had lied to voters, stolen from his campaign, and brok federal law. 

How The Media Covered It: Politico (Lean Left bias) uncovered the records that show Pilip is a registered Democrat and said the upcoming race “is considered a toss-up… crucial in determining which party controls the House in 2025.” New York Post (Lean Right bias) included a perspective from Nassau County GOP chairman Joe Cairo, who noted that they extensively vetted candidates. Cairo said, “Mazi is so squeaky clean. Whether she’s a Republican or a Democrat makes no difference.”