Republicans forced to justify expelling Santos following New York special election loss

Republicans Reflect on New York Election ​Loss

Just one day after Democrats⁣ managed to‍ flip a crucial House ​seat to further chip ​away at the GOP’s majority, ⁤Republicans are reflecting on the New York election to avoid a similar fate in November.

Democratic candidate Tom Suozzi won the‍ special election to replace‌ former Rep. George Santos on Tuesday, dealing a blow ⁢to House Republicans and reducing ⁣their ​already slim majority to ⁢just⁤ two seats. The loss has prompted‌ some GOP lawmakers to pinpoint the ⁣exact cause for the loss, resulting in some finger-pointing within the Republican conference.

Some lawmakers faulted Republican candidate Mazi‌ Pilip herself for the loss, arguing the ⁢local lawmaker was not the strongest candidate to take on political veteran​ Suozzi.

“Mazi Pilip was ​a horrible candidate,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) said. “She was a registered Democrat and hated Trump, that’s a nonstarter in every Republican race in the country and should be the rule.”

Greene also suggested the House ‍should never have expelled Santos in ⁤the first ​place, claiming ⁤the move only helped Democrats close in on Republicans’ tight majority. However, Republicans ⁢in New York pushed back on that argument, claiming Santos is at fault for the⁢ loss of the seat.

“I didn’t ⁢shrink the Republican​ majority. ‌George Santos shrunk ⁤it by his actions,” said Rep. Mike Lawler⁢ (R-NY), who voted ‍to oust Santos from the House last year. “I don’t⁣ regret voting to expel George Santos. He was​ unfit to serve.”

“There are a lot of decisions⁣ that have occurred these last couple⁤ of months that have shrunk the‌ majority,” Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-NY) said. ⁤ “Perhaps George Santos being honest, would have kept it one‌ more seat ‍to hear him in Congress.”

Despite ​the loss, GOP ‌leadership projected confidence in the​ party’s performance on Tuesday, ​noting Democrats outspent Republicans throughout the ⁣special election cycle for a ⁣district‍ that Biden‌ handily won by 8 points in 2020. Lawmakers also pointed to Suozzi’s⁤ name recognition after previously representing the 3rd District for three terms.

“The⁣ voters chose⁣ a name they knew and a face that they were familiar with,” Molinaro said. “And somebody, quite frankly, that basically ran away from what has been⁢ the Democratic​ agenda for the last two years.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) brushed off threats that the electoral loss was a warning sign⁤ for Republicans’ majority in November, pointing to Suozzi’s ⁣campaign messaging on the southern border that he said mirrored GOP talking points.

“He ⁢sounded like ‍a Republican talking about the border ⁢and immigration because everybody knows that’s the top issue,” ⁣ Johnson said. “New York 3 was what it was but⁢ it has nothing to do with” the upcoming elections.

The seat will once again be up ​for grabs‍ on the November ballot. With Suozzi’s victory ⁢on Tuesday, it puts him in a stronger position to win the ​seat again later this year.

Click here to read more from The Washington​ Examiner.

How are Democrats using the New York election victory to fuel their momentum⁢ for the upcoming midterm elections

Majority by‌ getting expelled​ from Congress,” Santos said. “That’s on me. And‌ New York Republicans⁤ need‍ to take​ a⁢ long, hard‌ look at ⁣themselves ⁤and decide‌ if they want to win in ‍November or play petty politics.”

Other Republicans choose to focus ⁤on the challenges faced by the party⁤ in ​a traditionally ⁢blue district. Rep. Elise Stefanik ⁢(R-NY) acknowledged the difficulty of winning‍ in a heavily Democratic area, but emphasized‌ the need for Republicans to field stronger candidates and⁣ deliver a clear message ⁤to voters.

“We ⁣need to learn from this⁢ loss and be prepared to ⁢fight even harder in November,” Stefanik said. “We can’t ​take⁣ anything for granted. The Democrats will continue‍ to challenge us, and we ⁢need to meet that challenge head-on.”

While Republicans may be reflecting on the New York election loss, Democrats are‍ celebrating their victory and⁢ using it⁢ as a sign of hope for the upcoming midterm elections. The⁢ party ⁤hopes to build on their successes and continue to chip​ away at the Republican majority.

With a⁢ slim Republican majority in the House, every election is critical in determining the balance of ⁤power. As November approaches, both parties will be working hard to field strong candidates and deliver compelling messages to voters. The New York special election serves as a ⁣reminder for Republicans to reevaluate their strategies and for Democrats to continue their momentum as they strive ‍for a Democratic-led Congress.

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