George Santos opponents line up to run in 2024

WASHINGTON — Seven candidates already have filed papers to challenge the recently indicted Rep. George Santos, but they will face more scrutiny than before by New York’s party leaders and possibly competition from one of the previous two Democratic candidates. 

Following the May 10 federal indictment of Santos (R-Nassau/Queens), two Democrats have filed statements of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission, joining three other Democrats and three Republicans, including Santos, who have declared they’re running in 2024.

Former three-term Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi of Glen Cove and Democrat Robert Zimmerman of Great Neck, who lost to Santos in 2022, also are possible candidates. Neither, however, has said publicly he is running for the Third Congressional District in Nassau and Queens counties. Both declined to comment.

The scramble for the seat held by Santos for less than five months into his two-year term has been spurred by his admission that he fabricated his education, work history and Jewish heritage, his loss of support of Long Island Republicans and the federal indictment with potentially more charges to come from other investigations.

Santos was indicted on 13 charges including defrauding campaign contributors, using campaign funds for his personal benefit and wrongfully claiming COVID-19 unemployment benefits. He pleaded not guilty and was released on a $500,000 bond.

Santos said he would fight the charges and continues to reject calls to resign by Democrats and many Republicans nationally and on Long Island. 

Last week, Santos survived the Democrats' bid to expel him from the House when Republicans voted instead to refer the motion to the House Ethics Committee, which is conducting its own probe. 

GOP, Democratic leaders expect vacancy

Long Island Democratic and Republican officials say they're preparing to select a candidate to run for what they expect to be the eventual vacancy in the Third District.

“I would expect that the party will weigh in with its preference and support a particular candidate vigorously because we can't hold back one bit. We’ve got to win these seats,” Jay Jacobs, the New York State and Nassau County Democratic chairman, said about the Third District and others Democrats lost in 2022.

Nassau Republican Chairman Joseph Cairo said, “We'll have to look and see to pick who we feel is the best candidate overall and who would have the best chance of winning.”

He continued: “This time out we will have a much deeper vetting system, which we will do, and hopefully we won't make the same mistake that we did last time.”

The candidates and the parties must be prepared for two types of elections: The usual primary and general elections next year, or a special election if Santos resigns from Congress or is expelled before July 1, 2024.

Challengers line up

Last week, two Democrats filed to enter the race — campaign fundraiser Zak Malamed and radio reporter Darius Radzius.

Malamed, 29, of Great Neck, co-founded and leads The Next 50, an advocacy group and federal political action committee set up to support Democratic politicians under the age of 50. He has worked on education issues at a nonprofit, philanthropic initiative and at Facebook.

“Public education has been under threat in this district,” Malamed said. “And seeing somebody who is out there who has made their whole career about preserving and protecting and strengthening our public education … I think that's going to give people hope.”

A day after he filed to run, Malamed announced he had raised more than $225,000.

Radzius, 49, of Farmingdale, works as a radio reporter for 1010 WINS and as a spokesman for the U.S. Naval Reserve. He filed papers with the FEC last Monday but has not unveiled a campaign. He did not respond to a request for an interview.

The other three Democrats who have filed to run are:

• Anna Kaplan, 57, a former two-term state senator who lost her reelection bid last year. Kaplan, also a former North Hempstead Town Board member, is making her second run to represent the Third after losing to Suozzi in 2016.
• Will Murphy, 39, of Farmingdale, an assistant professor of legal studies at St. John’s University in Queens. He calls himself a “common-sense Democrat” and says he’s running to “represent the interests of everyday ordinary people.” He promised to serve only three terms if elected.
• Nassau County Legis. Josh Lafazan (D-Woodbury), 29, is making his second run for the Democratic nomination in the Third District. He raised $345,303 in contributions in the first three months of this year, his FEC campaign finance filings show.

The Republican challengers who have filed are:

• Philip Sean Grillo, 48, of Glen Oaks, Queens. The former U.S. Marine and ex-pest management official has been charged in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. He has pleaded not guilty, and a status conference on his competency has been set for July 28 in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., according to court records.
• Kellen Curry, 37, of Long Island City, Queens. He grew up in Oklahoma, is a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate, served in Afghanistan, earned an MBA at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and worked in J.P. Morgan's corporate and investment banking division. He is pursuing a master's degree in sports management at Columbia University and looking for a place to live in the Third District.

More candidates expected

“We’ll have several very good candidates based upon the ones who have already expressed interest, and I'm sure there will be more,” said Cairo, who noted he had talked with about 10 people interested in running.

Both Cairo and Jacobs said they would work with their party counterparts in Queens in selecting a candidate, though Nassau makes up a much larger part of the district.

Jacobs said he will try to discourage the costly and crowded primaries that left candidates with less money and little time before the 2022 general election. And he will seek out the candidates most likely to win.

“Obviously, someone who has name recognition, someone who has a base — meaning a current or past elected official who has generated support in the past and can probably maintain or retain some of that support, gives them an advantage,” Jacobs said.

“A novice, a newcomer, is going to be at a disadvantage, but that doesn't mean that’s a disqualifier. It's just a factor,” he said. “And then I would say that the capacity to raise money is very important.”

Jacobs also said Santos’ indictment and notoriety will hang over the Republican candidate, whether in a special election or the regular 2024 elections.

But Cairo said, “The issues carried it in the last election. I think that'll be a factor next time, too.”