Democrat Tom Suozzi wins New York special election for George Santos’ former seat

Tom Suozzi has delivered a crucial House seat back into the Democrat column after defeating Republican Mazi Pilip in Tuesday’s special election to replace George Santos in New York’s 3rd district.

The Democrat, 61, was declared the winner by the Associated Press just after 10pm with a little over 50 per cent of the vote in. He had secured 58.7 per cent of the votes with just over half of votes counted.

Residents in the district, comprising eastern Queens and in the Long Island suburbs, had to contend with a massive blizzard that dumped up to six inches of snow on Tuesday.

Mr Suozzi went into election day with a healthy lead from early voting, and the final result may have been impacted by Tuesday’s snowstorm.

Both candidates offered free rides to get their voters to polling stations.

Democrat Tom Suozzi campaigned in Tuesday’s blizzard

After the chaos of Mr Santos’ 12 months in Congress, voters opted for a known quantity in Mr Suozzi over a political newcomer in Ms Pilip.

The race had been widely touted as a key indicator for how suburban voters might cast their ballots in the general election rematch between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

Voters who spoke toThe Independent earlier this week said they were ready to move on from the unseemly spectacle created by Mr Santos, who became just the sixth House member to be expelled from Congress in December.

The seat will be up for grabs again in November’s general election, but could look completely different due to a court-ordered round of redistricting that will produce a new electoral map for New York house seats.

Republicans’ majority in the House now narrows to 219-213.

The impeachment of Homeland Secretary secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday night by a single vote