For the political junkies who aren’t getting enough drama from the Democratic or Republican presidential primaries right now, consider turning the channel to the Feb. 13 special election for New York’s 3rd Congressional District.
That’s where voters will choose a replacement for the fabulist ex-Rep. George Santos, he of the Jew-ish backstory and fake Wall Street gigs and various alleged campaign finance schemes, all of which culminated in expulsion from Congress last year. More Cameo awaits. But for Santos’ former constituents, the decision is now between former Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi and Republican-backed contender Mazi Melesa Pilip, who polling suggests are separated by single digits.
Anyone who has turned on a TV in the New York metropolitan area in the last month has heard ads about the migrant crisis and its connection to Suozzi or Pilip.
The race so far has been dominated by national issues, making it a key testing ground for party messaging ahead of the 2024 general election. That was certainly the case Thursday in Bethpage, Long Island, where the candidates met for the sole debate of the abbreviated campaign, aired by News 12. Here are three takeaways from this quirky New York contest that may foreshadow the themes of 2024.
Border mania
Anyone who has turned on a TV in the New York metropolitan area in the last month has heard ads about the migrant crisis and its connection to Suozzi or Pilip. It’s a national issue with local implications — New York City is currently sheltering tens of thousands of recent migrants, some near the Queens-Nassau County border that this district straddles.
Pilip, who herself is an Ethiopian Israeli immigrant, attempted to tie her opponent to President Joe Biden’s immigration policies, suggesting that she would keep building a border wall, increase the number of border agents, and “make sure that we have tightened” the procedure for those seeking asylum.
Suozzi, who served three terms in the House before…
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