After Rep. George Santos was officially expelled from the House of Representatives, many wondered what would happen next to his now-vacant seat. The process is actually relatively straightforward. The governor of New York, Kathy Hochul, has ten days to schedule a special election for the seat, and according to reports, that special election is expected to take place in February.
Well, that was apparently news to Hochul, who responded to Santos’s expulsion on Friday by posting on X/Twitter, “I am prepared to undertake the solemn responsibility of filling the vacancy in New York’s 3rd District. The people of Long Island deserve nothing less.”
There was no mention of a special election, giving the impression that Hochul was under the impression that she, as governor, was empowered to fill the vacancy. This prompted a flurry of user reactions, pointing out her error and even a Community Note pointing out that Hochul had no power to fill the vacancy and that she could only call for a special election. The post remains live on the platform and has accumulated over 2.3 million views.
Some even wondered whether she got it wrong or intended to appoint someone despite the lack of power to do so. She’s certainly not above tyrannical governance.
After the humiliating error, Hochul and her term quickly sought to backtrack.
On the governor’s website, a virtually identical statement was posted, with a not-so-subtle addition:
"I am prepared to undertake the solemn responsibility of filling the vacancy in New York’s 3rd District by scheduling a special election. The people of Long Island and Queens deserve nothing less."
It wasn’t exactly the most eloquent save, but at least she tried.
Continuing the “I always meant scheduling a special election” ruse, her official X/Twitter posted a clarifying follow-up.
“As required by law, I will announce the date for a special election in the third district within the next ten days,” the follow-up post on X/Twitter stated. “I take this responsibility seriously and am committed to ensuring there will be a Member of Congress who can serve Nassau and Queens Counties.”
The election to fill the vacancy left by Santos’s expulsion still won’t look like most elections. There won’t be a primary. Instead, Democrat and Republican leaders will choose who will represent their party on the ballot. According to The New York Times, an announcement of the candidates could come within the next week.
Democrats were expected to coalesce around Thomas R. Suozzi, a tested centrist who held the seat for six years before Mr. Santos but gave it up for a failed run for governor in 2022. Mr. Suozzi, 61, is a prolific fund-raiser and perhaps the best-known candidate either party could put forward. Anna Kaplan, a former state senator, is also running and has positioned herself to Mr. Suozzi’s left.
The Republican field appeared to be more fluid. Party leaders said they planned to interview roughly 15 candidates, though officials privy to the process said they were circling two top contenders, both relative newcomers: Mike Sapraicone, a retired New York Police Department detective, and Mazi Pilip, an Ethiopian-born former member of the Israel Defense Forces.
Joe Biden won the district in 2020 by a solid eight points, but subsequent elections have shown a rightward shift, primarily due to Bidenflation and crime. Considering how close the balance of power is in this Congress, you can expect a lot of money will be spent on this special election.
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