George Santos Returns To Capitol For State Of The Union, Announces Run For Congress Again

Expelled Republican Rep. George Santos has announced his intention to challenge incumbent Rep. Nick LaLota for his seat in New York’s First Congressional District, which encompasses most of Suffolk County on eastern Long Island, New York.

During President Joe Biden‘s State of the Union address on March 7, Santos shared his thoughts on the proceedings via X while at the U.S. Capitol for the speech.

He began, “Tonight, I came to the SOTU with an open mind and heart because I believe in the great idea that is the United States of America. I just witnessed a weak, frail president deliver spin and lies to the American people from inside the chambers.”

Santos was expelled from the House on December 1 and faced indictment last year on charges of campaign finance fraud and embezzlement. The expulsion came after a House ethics report revealed concerning findings, which led to a decisive 311-114 vote to remove Santos from office. Santos has pleaded not guilty to 23 federal charges, which include allegations of fraud, swindling donors, misusing campaign funds and lying about his personal finances on disclosure reports.

Santos continued in his post, “New York hasn’t had a real conservative represent them since I left office arbitrarily…After a lot of prayer and conversation with my friends and family, I have made a very important decision that will shake things up. Tonight, I want to announce that I will be returning to the arena of politics and challenging Nick for the battle over #NY1. I look forward to debating him on the issues and on his weak record as a Republican.”

Taking concrete steps towards his candidacy, Santos filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission, officially declaring his intention to run. This move follows the special election in which Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-New York) secured the vacated seat in the state’s 3rd District. Santos’s entry into the fiercely contested race will have significant implications for the balance of power in the House, as both parties vie for a majority after the upcoming November elections.

Santos concluded his post, “The fight for our majority is imperative for the survival of the country. God bless you all, and we are off to the races!”

LaLota, who spearheaded Santos’s expulsion, wasted no time responding to the announcement and responded on X, “To raise the standard in Congress and to hold a pathological liar who stole an election accountable, I led the charge to expel George Santos. If finishing the job requires beating him in a primary, count me in.” Santos responded, “Pathetic little man.” 

Santos is the sixth member of Congress to be expelled, and the only member to be ousted without being found guilty of a crime.

The former congressman has been making money creating personalized video clips on the platform Cameo for $500 each.

Santos recently filed a $750,000 lawsuit against Jimmy Kimmel for using his Cameo clips on his TV show.