House Republicans dumped more ad money into the high-stakes New York special election to replace disgraced ex-Rep. George Santos.
The Congressional Leadership Fund, the super PAC endorsed by House Republican leaders, is spending an additional $2.6 million to boost its candidate in the Feb. 13 special election that is crucial to reinforcing the GOP’s paper-thin majority.
The contest in New York’s 3rd Congressional District pits Democrat Tom Suozzi, a former three-term congressman, against Republican Mazi Melesa Pilip, a Nassau County legislator.
The ads hit Mr. Suozzi on his illegal immigration stance, which is shaping up to be a top campaign issue nationwide in the 2024 elections. The ads portray him as soft on illegal immigration.
A tight race is expected in the swing district on Long Island, which is one of the wealthiest districts in New York and includes northern Nassau County and far northeastern Queens.
The new buy begins Thursday and includes broadcast TV, streaming services and digital ads.
CLF previously bought $2.3 million in ad times, bringing the group’s total spending in the race to almost $5 million.
“Tom Suozzi knows his support for illegal immigration is a real problem, and he’s going to great lengths to try and hide it,” CLF President Dan Conston said. “But no spin can change the cold hard fact that Tom Suozzi helped create this migrant crisis that has unleashed chaos in New York’s communities, and he’d only make it worse in Congress.”
Republicans control the House with a 219-213 majority.
Democrats also are funneling massive amounts of money into the race to bring them to inch closer to recapturing the majority.
They poured more than $8 million into the broadcast ad buys to win back the Long Island district they lost to Mr. Santos, a Republican.
Mr. Santos is now facing federal fraud and wire charges. Lawmakers from both parties in December voted 311-114 to expel Mr. Santos, passing the two-thirds threshold required to kick out a member.
Both Parties have bought ads up through election day. Spending on the special election has already surpassed 2022’s general election total.
Media tracking service Ad Impact said Democrats have outspent Republicans on advertising in the district by a 6:1 ratio.
However, in the 2022 general election, when Mr. Santos won, Democratic advertisers outspent Republican advertisers at a 7:1 ratio: $3.9 million to $560,000, according to Ad Impact.
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Suzan DelBene, lauded Mr. Suozzi, who is part of the DCCC’s “red to blue” program.
“As Mayor of Glen Cove, Nassau County Executive, and a three-term Congressman, Tom Suozzi worked with both parties to get things done and deliver meaningful results for families across Nassau County and Queens,” she said. “From reducing costs to make life more affordable, improving public safety by supporting police, advocating for bipartisan solutions to fix our border, caring for veterans, and protecting our environment by cleaning the Long Island Sound, Suozzi focuses on what matters most.”
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
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