Nassau Republicans denounce George Santos as they welcome new county lawmaker 

We are not the party of Rep. George Santos. 

That was the message leaders of the Nassau County Republican Committee tried to drive home Wednesday as they congratulated Republican Michael Giangregorio for his victory over Democrat Robert Miles in a special election in the Nassau Legislature's 19th District. 

"One serial liar doesn't impact the entire Republican Party," Joseph Cairo, Nassau GOP chairman, said at a rally at party headquarters in Westbury.

"For the 52 years I have been involved in the Republican Party we have run quality candidates and so we shouldn't be labeled the party of George Santos — we are not," Cairo said.

It was the second time in two months that Cairo and other party leaders had gathered to denounce Santos. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and Hempstead Town Clerk Kate Murray were among prominent Republicans who participated in the event Tuesday.

The Nassau Republican Committee backed Santos during his successful campaign last year in the 3rd Congressional District.

Santos-tied campaign committees also contributed to the party.

Newsday has reported that a political action committee headed by Santos' sister, Tiffany Lee Devolder Santos, gave more than $126,000 to the Nassau and Hempstead Republican committees in 2021. The funds were returned, according to updated disclosure filings.

Santos, the subject of county, state and federal probes into his campaign finances, has admitted fabricating key parts of his resume that he had announced on the campaign trail.

Tuesday's special election was the first contest held in the county since Santos was elected in November. 

With the victory of Giangregorio, 57, of Merrick, Republicans will keep their 12-7 majority over Democrats on the 19-seat county legislature.

According to unofficial returns from Nassau County Board of Elections, Giangregorio defeated Miles 59% to 41% in a special election to fill the vacant seat of Republican Steve Rhoads, who became a state senator in January.

A total of 6,415 ballots were cast.

Jay Jacobs, state and Nassau Democratic chairman, said the special election results were "exactly on target," given the GOP enrollment edge in the 19th District.

Jacobs said they were neither a litmus test of what's to come in the November elections, nor proof voters separate the Nassau GOP from Santos.

"Let's see how well the party of George Santos does in the general election," Jacobs said.

Giangregorio, a vice president at JPMorgan Corporate & Investment Bank, will serve out the remainder of Rhoads' term, which ends in December. 

Giangregorio on Wednesday pledged to represent residents' interests as a county legislator.

"We're worried about crime. We're worried about affordability. We're worried about the quality of life," Giangregorio said at the GOP event. "Those are the things that I stand on." 

The 19th District includes the communities of Bellmore, Freeport, Merrick, Seaford and Wantagh.

Of the 55,000 registered voters in the district, 39% are Republicans, 31% are Democrats and 26% are unaffiliated with a political party, according to data from the Nassau County Board of Elections. The remaining voters are members of minor parties.

By Candice Ferrette

candice.ferrette@newsday.comcandiceferrette

Candice Ferrette covers Nassau County government and politics on Long Island. She has been a reporter at Newsday since 2011.