Disgraced ex-Republican George Santos has killed his short-lived bid for a new seat in Congress, announcing his withdrawal from the race for New York’s 1st Congressional District on Tuesday.
“I have decided to withdraw from my independent run for #NY1,” Santos wrote on X.
He added that he didn’t want his run to be portrayed as a “reprisal against” incumbent Nick LaLota, a fellow GOP rep Santos has said he personally dislikes. In an interview with The Daily Beast earlier this month, Santos vehemently denied his bid for LaLota’s seat was a “revenge run” against the ex-colleague he once called a “meathead.”
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Still, Santos didn’t miss the chance to throw one last parting shot at LaLota as he made his exit.
“Although Nick and I don’t have the same voting record and I remain critical of his abysmal record, I don’t want to split the ticket and be responsible for handing the house to Dems,” Santos continued.
He also lobbed shots at Democrats, saying they needed to deal with the “very large issue of antisemitism in their ranks.”
Infamously booted from Congress in November over the many lies he told constituents, Santos had flip-flopped on a possible return to Congress as an independent after his nasty breakup with the GOP.
He finally committed to the run as an ultra-MAGA independent in early March, but his campaign was never really taken seriously. Indicted on 23 federal charges and facing a criminal trial this summer, he raised exactly $0 for the short-lived return bid last quarter.
According to his most recent Federal Election Commission filing from April 15, he kept spending money even as he failed to raise a penny.
Still, in his Tuesday announcement, Santos insisted it’s not the end for his career in politics.
“I have meet with leaders and with constituents and I have made the decision to hang it up here and stop perusing this race, THIS YEAR!” he wrote on X.
“The future holds countless possibilities and I am ready willing and able to step up to the plate and go fight for my country at anytime,” he added, leaving the door open for another return in the near or distant future.
“It’s only goodbye for now, I’ll be back,” he promised.
Sashay away, George—for now.
