Embattled Rep. George Santos is contemplating a nightmare scenario for House Republicans: Trying to stick it out in Congress, even if he is indicted on criminal charges.
After previously signaling to Republicans he wouldn’t seek reelection, Santos has recently been telling people he is considering running for a second term, according to multiple Republican sources, and privately insists he will ultimately be cleared of all wrong-doing and that his treasurer will face scrutiny over his finances. And Chris Grant, a political consultant who once worked for an indicted former member of Congress, has advised Santos to not resign, encouraging the New York Republican to ride out his myriad legal issues, another GOP source said.
“Let me be very clear, I’m not leaving, I’m not hiding and I am NOT backing down,” tweeted Santos on Tuesday, who has been defiant despite calls for his resignation over repeatedly lying about his career, education and identity. “I will continue to work for #NY03 and no amount of Twitter trolling will stop me. I’m looking forward to getting what needs to be done, DONE!”
Adding to the intrigue about Santos’ future, the Federal Election Commission asked Santos last week to announce whether he plans to run again in 2024 after the freshman lawmaker crossed a post-election fundraising threshold that now requires him to make a formal declaration by March 14. His office declined to comment about campaign matters.
But even before Santos publicly telegraphs his next moves, top party leaders are vowing to knock Santos off and mount an aggressive effort to ensure he can’t tarnish their New York ticket, with six House Republicans in districts carried by Joe Biden in 2020 already on defense going into next year.
In New York, senior Republicans are beginning to reach out to potential primary challengers to topple Santos if he attempts to…
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