George Santos Slammed by Constituents Over 2024 Run: 'Affront to Democracy'

George Santos has been branded an "affront to democracy" by a local campaign group after announcing he will seek re-election to Congress in 2024.

The House Republican flipped New York's 3rd congressional district in November, but has since been marred in controversy after it emerged much of his back story was fabricated.

If Santos does stand again he is likely to face a tough primary battle, with officials in his local Nassau County Republican Party having called on him to resign, a demand backed by 66 percent of his constituents according to a Siena College poll released in February.

Announcing his decision to defend his seat Monday Santos said: "I'm proud to announce my candidacy to run for re-election and continue to serve the people of NY-3."

However this sparked a furious response from the Concerned Citizens of NY-03, a local campaign group formed to demand his resignation.

In a statement sent to Newsweek they said: "George Santos's announcement that he is running for re-election is an affront to our democracy. The admitted liar and confessed criminal conned his way into the U.S. House of Representatives in 2022. His ongoing presence there damages America's trust in our government and its institutions. Each day he remains in Congress, the residents of NY's Third Congressional District are denied meaningful representation."

Newsweek has contacted Rep. Santos by email, asking if he'd like to respond to the statement by Concerned Citizens of NY-03.

Speaking to Newsweek Jody Kass, the group's founder, said it would be "unthinkable" for Santos to defend his seat on the Republican ticket.

She said: "The Residents in NY-03 are enraged at the thought of Santos finishing out his term and we are doing all that we can to get him ousted. It is unthinkable that the GOP would allow him to run again. Every day that Speaker McCarthy allows Santos to remain in Congress is an insult and deprives us of meaningful representation in Washington.

"The Republicans have the power to oust Santos from Congress—it's outrageous that they haven't acted yet. The members of the NYS GOP Congressional Delegation have said that Santos is a stain, unfit, a distraction, despicable, that he should resign or be expelled. But it is lip service, as not one of them has co-sponsored the one-sentence resolution to expel Santos."

Santos is being investigated by the House Ethics Committee over claims he fabricated campaign finance statements, and groped a male volunteer in his Congressional office, both of which he strongly denies.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has previously said he will wait for the Ethics Committee report before deciding whether to take action against Santos.