Santos Bails on GOP to Run as ‘Ultra MAGA’ Independent
On Friday, the disgraced ex-congressman announced he would leave the GOP and make his quixotic congressional comeback attempt as an independent.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
George Santos is taking on yet another identity.
On Friday, the deposed congressman, serial liar, and alleged fraudster announced that he would run for Congress again, not as a Republican but as an independent.
“After today’s embarrassing showing in the house I have reflected and decided that I can no longer be part of the Republican Party,” Santos wrote in a post on X, referring to House GOP leadership’s support for a spending deal that was panned by conservatives but passed on Friday.
“The Republican Party continues to lie and swindle its voter base,” Santos continued. “I in good conscience cannot affiliate myself with a party that stands for nothing and falls for everything.”
Earlier in March, Santos filed as a Republican to challenge Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY) in the primary for New York’s 1st District, which is to the east of the turf Santos initially represented.
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The campaign was mostly perceived as Santos—who is expected to stand trial for 23 indictments in federal court this fall—seeking attention again as well as a way to annoy LaLota, who helped lead the charge to boot Santos from office last December.
But that attention would have died down when Santos lost in the primary to LaLota. As an independent, he can campaign until November—if he qualifies for the ballot.
The 1st District, which covers the eastern half of Long Island, leans Republican. Two Democrats are running for the seat: the former CNN pundit and Daily Beast editor John Avlon, and chemist Nancy Goroff, who ran against former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R) in 2020.
“I will take my Ultra MAGA/Trump supporting values to the ballot in November as an Independent,” Santos boasted.
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