Democrats this week flipped a seat in the House of Representatives, with former Representative Tom Suozzi regaining his old seat in Long Island, New York in a special election.
Suozzi returns to Congress for at least the remainder of the year after defeating Republican Mazi Melesa Pilip with nearly 58 percent of the vote. Originally from Glen Cove, New York, Suozzi worked at Arthur Andersen, as a commercial litigator at Shearman & Sterling, consultant for Cablevision and Lazard, and in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York before entering politics. He then became Mayor of Glen Cove, Nassau County Executive, ran for Governor, and eventually elected to Congress.
Suozzi replaces former Rep. George Santos, who was expelled from Congress late last year. Suozzi had previously left Congress to run for Governor of New York in 2022.
The election gives a seat to Democrats, shrinking the Republican margin of control to just 219-213 (with four vacancies).
While New York’s Congressional map is expected to be redrawn by the 2024 election, the 3rd district is still expected to be competitive.
