Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) on Monday announced he is running for reelection, despite being dogged by multiple investigations, facing questions about his resume and finances and being the target of calls from members of his own party to resign.
“Since the Left is pushing radical agendas, the economy is struggling, and Washington is incapable of solving anything, we need a fighter who knows the district and can serve the people fearlessly, and independent of local or national party influence,” Santos said in a statement.
“Good isn’t good enough, and I’m not shy about doing what it takes to get the job done. I’m proud to announce my candidacy to run for re-election and continue to serve the people of NY-3,” he added.
Santos has been the subject of scrutiny since before he was sworn into the House. In December, The New York Times published a bombshell report raising questions about the congressman-elect’s background. He later admitted to embellishing parts of his resume.
Since the initial controversy, more questions have been raised about Santos’s background and finances. A number of entities are currently looking into the New York Republican, including the House Ethics Committee, which launched an investigation last month.
Several of Santos’s Republican colleagues have called for the congressman’s resignation, including a handful from New York. Santos, however, has been adamant that he will not step down before the end of his term.
Kellen Curry, an Afghanistan war veteran and former vice president at J.P. Morgan, announced a campaign for Santos’s seat earlier this month, giving the congressman his first GOP challenger.
Josh Lafazan, a Democratic member of the Nassau County Legislator, is running for Santos’s seat, and CNBC reported last week that former Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) — who represented NY-3 before Santos — is considering running for his old seat. Suozzi unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2022.
Santos is heading into a 2024 campaign in a financially difficult position. His campaign finance report for Jan. 1 through March 31 showed that his campaign received $5,333 in individual contributions but spent $8,353 in refunds to individual donors.
The freshman lawmaker filed paperwork for a 2024 bid last month after the Federal Elections Commission asked if he was planning to run again. He filed the day of the agency’s response deadline, an indication — but not a guarantee — that he would vie for another term.
The congressman, however, put any reelection speculation to bed on Monday, which he noted was 100 days since he was sworn in. In that time, he said he has introduced 11 bills, cosponsored 63 measures and delivered 18 floor speeches.
“I was elected to fulfill my campaign promises of securing our border, lowering the high cost of living, solving the disastrous SALT issue in our tax code, and fighting the Hochul crime crisis of policies empowering criminals to terrorize the people of New York,” Santos said in a statement. “I’ve been in office for 100 days, and through legislation and my votes, I’ve already made significant efforts to honor those promises.”
Updated at 4:31 p.m.