House Speaker Mike Johnson joined the ranks of Republicans downplaying the GOP’s loss in New York’s special election, arguing that Democrats should not “celebrate too much.”
Former Rep. Tom Suozzi cruised to an eight-point victory Tuesday over Nassau County Legislator Mazi Pilip, flipping the seat once held by former Rep. George Santos.
Mr. Suozzi’s successful bid for New York’s 3rd Congressional District eats away at the GOP’s razor-thin majority in the lower chamber. House Republicans now have a two-vote advantage over Democrats.
Mr. Johnson, Louisiana Republican, said Mr. Suozzi’s victory was a byproduct of the millions that Democrats pumped into the race and that the former three-term lawmaker cribbed much of his campaign rhetoric from Republicans.
“Last night is not something, in my view, the Democrats should celebrate too much,” Mr. Johnson said. “Think about what happened there. They spent about $15 million to win a seat that President Biden won by eight points.”
“Their candidate ran like a Republican,” the speaker continued. “He sounded like a Republican talking about the border and immigration, because everybody knows that’s the top issue.”
House Republicans, including Mr. Johnson, balked at the idea that killing the Senate’s foreign aid package, which included border security measures, benefited Democrats in their quest to flip the seat.
He said voters in all 17 of the states he has visited ahead of the Nov. 5 election that will determine whether the GOP maintains its majority in the House have raised the alarm over border security and what they see as a lack of leadership in President Biden.
Other factors, like a snowstorm affecting turnout and Mr. Suozzi’s name recognition in the district, helped propel him to victory, Mr. Johnson said.
“There are a lot of factors there. That is in no way a bellwether of what’s going to happen this fall,” he said.
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly labeled Nassau County Legislator Mazi Pilip’s title.
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.
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