Democratic former Rep. Tom Suozzi and Republican Nassau County legislator Mazi Pilip squared off Thursday night in the first and only debate of their race to replace disgraced former Rep. George Santos – a heated affair that underscored the contest’s national stakes.
Santos himself was largely an afterthought as issues like immigration and abortion – which have roiled New York’s 3rd Congressional District along with the rest of the country – dominated the debate.
Though Suozzi made occasional reference to Santos, usually in suggesting that Pilip is similarly “unvetted,” the pair – along with News 12 anchor Rich Barrabi and the town hall-style audience – steered clear of the fantastical fiasco that gripped the district for the better part of last year. Immigration, abortion, the economy and Israel – an issue on which the candidates tried to one-up each other in proclaiming their support and bona fides – dominated the conversation as Suozzi and Pilip both sought to downplay ties to their respective parties, neither of which rate highly in the suburban district.
Suozzi, who has held multiple offices in Nassau County (the district also includes a piece of Queens), comes into the contest as the better-known quantity, having only left his House seat in 2022 to run for governor. When that attempt failed, and the Santos saga drew to a close, he was the clear choice for Long Island Democrats.
Pilip is a less familiar face but brings a distinct background – she was born in Ethiopia before emigrating as a child to Israel, where she attended school and served in the Israel Defense Forces. She is also a registered Democrat, though she has pledged to change that after the election.
Suozzi had pushed for more debates, but after some protracted wrangling the rivals settled on a one-night only…
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