George Santos Mocks GOP For Setting '$10M On Fire' After Losing His Seat

George Santos has mocked the Republican Party over its campaign spending after a Democrat politician won his vacated New York seat.

In a special election on Tuesday, Democrat Tom Suozzi beat the Republican candidate Mazi Pilip by 59 percent to 41 percent.

Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, Santos mocked the GOP, claiming he spent nothing on his campaign when he was elected to the House in January 2023, and that the New York Republicans spent $10 million on Pilip's failed bid.

The Context

In December, Santos' seat in New York's 3rd District became vacant after the legislative chamber voted 311 to 114 to expel the freshmen representative. This followed Santos facing a 23-count federal indictment and the release of a scathing House Ethics Committee accusing him of lying about the details of his life, defrauding campaign donors and misusing campaign funds—including allegedly using expenses for Botox and OnlyFans.

Suozzi won back his seat he held between 2017 and 2023 before he stepped away for an unsuccessful gubernatorial bid in 2022.

What We Know

Santos said the Republicans lost the New York seat because "MAGA was disrespected." He wrote: "I won #NY03with $0 super PAC money, $0 CLF money and $0 Establishment money. Tonight the establishment set $10 million on fire! I FLIPPED a 23 year Blue seat with the help of grassroots activists and by activating the base with retail politics... Hey @NassauNYGOP money does not buy votes, it's respecting the wishes of the base that wins votes. #NY3 is #MAGA country and since MAGA was disrespected, MAGA stayed home!"

Newsweek was unable to verify Santos' spending claims and has contacted Republican party representatives by email to comment on this story.

However according to Politico, citing ad tracker AdImpact, Democrats spent $13.8 million on ads during the campaign to the GOP's $8.1 million.

Views

In a post on Truth Social, Donald Trump called Pilip a "very foolish woman" after she lost, and criticized her for not endorsing him.

"Republicans just don't learn, but maybe she was still a Democrat? I have an almost 99% Endorsement Success Rate in Primaries, and a very good number in the General Elections, as well, but just watched this very foolish woman, Mazi Melesa Pilip, running in a race where she didn't endorse me and tried to 'straddle the fence,' when she would have easily WON if she understood anything about MODERN DAY politics in America," Trump wrote.

"MAGA, WHICH IS MOST OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, STAYED HOME - AND IT ALWAYS WILL, UNLESS IT IS TREATED WITH THE RESPECT THAT IT DESERVES. I STAYED OUT OF THE RACE, 'I WANT TO BE LOVED!' GIVE US A REAL CANDIDATE IN THE DISTRICT FOR NOVEMBER. SUOZZI, I KNOW HIM WELL, CAN BE EASILY BEATEN!"

What's Next

Suozzi' victory means that the GOP's slim majority in the House has been further reduced ahead of the 2024 election.

As for Santos, the disgraced politician's next court proceeding is scheduled for August 13. A trial is expected in September.

Update 2/14/24, 5:00 a.m. ET: This story was updated with additional information.