Democrats celebrate their win in a special vote for the seat that was left empty after Republican George Santos was expelled from Congress.
Tom Suozzi’s victory on the night of Tuesday over Mazi Pilip will cut off the Republican party’s already slim majority within the House of Representatives.
Democrats claimed that the vote shows they are able to take the challenge with Republicans on the issue of immigration, which is hot on the agenda.
Mr. Santos was dismissed in December, amid allegations of corruption and fraud.
In the most votes counted with the majority of votes counted, Mr Suozzi was a majority voter with 54percent of votes and Ms Pilip was fourth with 46% in the opinion of CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.
In the United States, registered Democrats surpass the registered Republicans within the congressional third district that stretches beyond Queens, the New York City borough of Queens to Western suburbs in Long Island.
Mr Suozzi who was a moderate candidate, ran as a moderate candidate, will complete his term as Mr Santos’s before running in November.
In his victory speech, which was that was briefly interrupted by protesters calling for a cease-fire in Gaza Mr. Suozzi emphasized the need to heal the political divide.
He also took aim at Republicans who hold the House by saying: “Let’s send a message to our friends running the Congress these days: stop running around for Trump, and start running the country.”
Ms Pilip has distanced herself from President Trump during the campaign. And the former president wrote in a tweet to Truth Social on Tuesday night that she was an “very foolish woman” because she did not support Trump.
The vote is an opportunity to returning back to Congress to the Democrat who had previously served for three years within the US House but opted in 2022 to run for the governorship of New York instead.
This campaign failed The voters re-elected the incumbent in Congress with Mr. Santos.
- Following George Santos’ antics, voters are focused on the most important issues
- Former Santos Allies talk about their discontent with Congressman
Ms. Pilip was an elected state legislator who didn’t get as much popularity as her rival was, made immigration the main focus of her campaign.
She blamed Suozzi and colleagues Democrats for the city’s surge of migrants as well as the current crisis that is brewing at the southern border.
But he also stressed the need for a stronger border security, noting that he has occasionally defied his party over the issue when in Congress.
Democrats have said that they could use the race as an outline for an US General Election in November.
Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut posted on X: “Like Suozzi, Democrats can and should go on the offense on the border. Everywhere.”
This follows the demise of an bipartisan Senate legislation on border security after President Trump and his aides criticized it as unconstitutional.
Ms. Pilip is an Ethiopian-Israeli immigrant and a observant Jew she had sworn her unwavering support for Israel in a district that has the majority of Jewish voters.
However, Mr. Suozzi claimed to be an unwavering supporter of Israel and also argued that he will be able to counterbalance left-wing Democrats who are seeking to cut US assistance to Israel.
Mr. Suozzi took advantage of the abortion issue to defend the woman Pilip, a mother of seven who has stated that she is personaly opposed to terminating pregnancy however, she would not make her views on others.
This reduces this number to bring the Republican House majority to 219-213. Three seats – one that was held by former House speaker Kevin McCarthy until his resignation in December – remain unfilled.
In only one vote on Tuesday night, House Republicans impeached Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over the border crisis.
