Tom Suozzi Is Running to Retake His Old Seat From George Santos

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George Santos might have just gotten his toughest challenger yet.

Former Democratic representative Tom Suozzi announced Tuesday that he will run for Congress in 2024, seeking reelection to the seat he previously held for three terms. New York’s third congressional district is currently represented by Santos, a Republican, who has already announced his intention to seek reelection despite being indicted on federal money-laundering and wire-fraud charges. In a statement posted to social media, Suozzi said his campaign will officially launch following the elections later this fall.

“The madness in Washington, D.C., and the absurdity of George Santos remaining in the United States Congress is obvious to everyone,” he said. “You know me. I’ve never sat on the sidelines. From the cost-of-living to immigration, crime, climate change, combating terrorism in the Middle East and globally, and simply helping people, we need more common sense and compassion and less chaos and senseless fighting.”

Suozzi retired from the House of Representatives to challenge Kathy Hochul in the Democratic primary as she sought her first full term as governor last year, a move that drew criticism from some top New York Democrats. Suozzi ultimately lost his bid, coming in third in the primary, and Hochul went on to defeat Republican Lee Zeldin.

After Suozzi left his Long Island– and Queens-based seat open, Santos defeated Democratic businessman Robert Zimmerman by nearly eight points, one of four seats that Republicans would flip in the state in 2022. Suozzi had previously defeated Santos in 2020 by double digits.

The race to defeat Santos has attracted numerous candidates from both sides of the aisle. On the Democratic side, Suozzi joins former state senator Anna Kaplan, Nassau County legislator Josh Lafazan, and nonprofit cofounder Zak Malamed, among many others. On the Republican side, Air Force veteran Kellen Curry, retired NYPD detective Mike Sapraicone, and lawyer Greg Hach are just a few of the candidates waiting in the wings to primary Santos. Currently, Cook Political Report indicates a slight chance that the freshman congressman’s seat could flip, listing the third congressional district race as “Lean Democratic.”