Less than two months after running for office, former U.S. Representative George Santos has announced the end of his independent campaign for re-election to the House of Representatives.
Santos was running to unseat Rep. Nick Larota. republican He represents New York’s 1st Congressional District after being expelled from Congress earlier this year.
Santos announced on social media Tuesday that he has decided to decline his bid to run as an independent in NY-1. “I don’t want my candidacy to be portrayed as retaliation against Nick Larota.”
Ousted George Santos says he will seek to return to parliament as an independent
George Santos poses for a photo outside the U.S. Capitol after the House of Representatives failed to pass the Spending Cuts and Border Security Act. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, via Getty Images)
“Nick and I don’t have the same voting record, and while I continue to criticize his abysmal record, I don’t want to split the ticket or be responsible for handing the House to Democrats,” Santos said. continued. “With the rise of anti-Semitism in our country, it is clear that we cannot surrender home to the Democratic Party, because they have a very big problem with anti-Semitism within their party.”
The freshman lawmaker was ousted a year into his first term in the House following a damning House Ethics Committee report that found he misused campaign funds on luxury goods and OnlyFans, among other things.
Although he has not been convicted of a crime, he has been indicted on multiple charges related to wire fraud, identity theft, falsifying records, credit card fraud and other crimes. He pleaded not guilty.
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Rep. Nick Larota leaves a House Republican Conference meeting at the U.S. Capitol. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, via Getty Images)
Santos launched an independent campaign for NY-1 in March, even though he previously represented a different district in New York.
His campaign committee reported zero expenditures and zero fundraising income in filings with the Federal Election Commission.
“The future holds countless possibilities and I am always willing and ready to step up to bat and go fight for my country,” Santos said Tuesday. “I will continue to participate in public policy discussions and do my part.”
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Then-Rep. George Santos waits in the House chamber for the session to begin as the House meets for its fourth day in Washington, D.C., to elect a speaker and convene the 118th Congress. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
He concluded, “I will always try to be on the right side of history. For now, I just say goodbye. I will be back again.”
