After being expelled from the House of Representatives last December, former Rep. George Santos has announced that he is withdrawing from his independent run for Congress in November. Santos made this announcement on X, formerly known as Twitter, stating that he does not want to split the ticket and potentially hand the house over to the Democrats. He believes that if he were to stay in the race, it would almost guarantee a win for the Democrats.
Despite withdrawing from the congressional race, Santos has stated that he is not leaving politics entirely. He mentioned in his post on X that he will continue to participate in public policy discussions and will eventually make a return. This announcement comes after it was reported that Santos had raised $0 in his campaign. Despite this setback, Santos remains committed to his values, stating that he will be back in the political arena at some point in the future.
Santos’ campaign took an interesting turn early on, as he initially announced his candidacy as a Republican in early March, criticizing the lack of conservative representation in New York since his departure from office. However, after just two weeks, Santos switched his party affiliation to independent, citing his disillusionment with the Republican Party and its leadership. He also expressed his commitment to his “Ultra MAGA/Trump supporting values” as an independent candidate for Congress in November.
Santos’ time in the House of Representatives was marred by controversy, culminating in his expulsion in December following an ethics report that accused him of seeking to exploit his candidacy for personal financial gain. In addition to his expulsion, Santos has been indicted on charges of fraud and money laundering, pleading not guilty to multiple counts. Despite these legal troubles, Santos remained determined to continue his political career, even in the face of significant challenges.
Looking ahead, Santos’ decision to withdraw from the congressional race in November leaves the field open for the remaining candidates, including incumbent Republican Nick LaLota and Democrats Nancy Goroff and John Avlon. With Santos out of the race, the dynamics of the election have shifted, potentially impacting the outcome in New York’s 3rd District. As Santos focuses on his legal battles and future political aspirations, the remaining candidates will continue their campaigns in the lead-up to the November election.
