Tom Suozzi, Democrats' pick for special election, says if he wins, he will run in November 

Former Rep. Tom Suozzi, in his first public appearance Saturday since being named the Democratic nominee to replace expelled Rep. George Santos, confirmed he would run again in November if he wins February’s special election to fill the seat.

"Yes, absolutely," Suozzi said in response to a question on the subject while speaking on the lawn of a supporter in Levittown.

Suozzi was chosen Thursday as the party's nominee for the Feb. 13 special election. He vowed Saturday to work across party lines for residents of the 3rd Congressional District.

“Let’s work together to solve the problems that the people face,” from housing affordability to climate change, he said while flanked by nearly 100 supporters. “Enough of the finger-pointing, enough of the partisanship, enough of the pettiness.”

Suozzi, 61, held the seat from 2017 through 2022. He spoke on the front lawn of a Balsam Lane home owned by Tom Cavanagh, 76, a Republican who says Suozzi is the only Democrat he's voted for.

Santos, a freshman Republican, on Dec. 1 became the sixth House member ever to be expelled. He has been indicted by the U.S. Justice Department on 23 criminal charges, including filing false campaign fundraising reports with the Federal Election Commission, stealing thousands of dollars from campaign donors and wire fraud.

Santos has pleaded not guilty to all the charges and his trial is scheduled for September. 

Republicans have yet to announce their pick for the special election. Mike Deery, spokesman for the Nassau County Republican Committee, said Saturday an announcement is expected "sometime next week."

 The November race will be for a full two-year term, with candidates facing the prospect of having to run in a party primary in June.

Suozzi is a former mayor of Glen Cove and two-term Nassau County executive. He did not seek reelection to the House in 2022, instead running for governor, and said Saturday he thought his political career had concluded after that failed campaign.

"I was out of politics. I was really all the way out of it," he said.

The 3rd District includes parts of Queens and the North Shore of Nassau County, as well as parts of southeastern Nassau.

The Nassau County Republican Committee in a statement Saturday said Suozzi was "out-of-step with the district."

"It's official, the Congressman who abandoned his House of Representative's seat to George Santos is eager to be back on the public payroll," the statement read in part.

Chris Paladino, 38, of Levittown, a union electrician, was among the supporters Saturday. He cited Suozzi's support to restore the State and Local Tax deduction known as SALT. “That hit us hard. Tax time comes and there’s no more refunds, no more returns.”

As the crowd began to disperse, Cavanagh, a retired NYPD deputy inspector, said he had “no idea” so many people would turn out.

The Feb. 13 special election will draw national attention as Democrats seek to flip a seat in the House. For Cavanagh, though, he views the election like any other.

"Every election is important," he said.

With Scott Eidler

By Joe Werkmeister

joe.werkmeister@newsday.com

Joe Werkmeister covers the towns of Southampton, East Hampton and Shelter Island. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and previously worked as the editor of two North Fork community newspapers.

---