Report Shorts (January 6, 2023)
January 6, 2023 · 2:26 PM EST
New York’s 3rd District. GOP Rep. George Santos hasn’t settled into office yet, and he’s already been met with significant questions about fabricating his personal background and professional resume. The end result could be a short tenure and future open seat.
Even some of Santos’ future colleagues are already openly critical of him. “There are a lot of people that serve in Congress that have lied,” said Rep. James Comer of Kentucky. “Now Santos is special. He gets the award for ‘Most Valuable Liar’ that’s ever probably attempted to serve in Congress.”
His lies don’t prohibit him from serving in Congress. But his potentially false financial filings with the Federal Election Commission could end up being his demise. The representative-elect is reportedly under federal and local investigation.
Whether it’s in a special election or 2024 race, the 3rd District race should be competitive. Joe Biden would have won the district with 54 percent in 2020, though the area shifted hard toward Republicans two years later. With a very narrow GOP House majority, a swing of just one seat could have a significant impact.
Santos won by a relatively comfortable margin in 2022, outpacing Democrat Robert Zimmerman by 8 points, but that was before the most damaging stories broke. If he runs for re-election his path will be much more challenging.
Once the dust settles on the vote for Speaker, the media will turn back to the Santos story and it will test his colleagues’ appetite for him.